Bikram Sau, the roadside snack vendor from West Bengal who became widely known after Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped at his stall during the recent Assembly election campaign, has now alleged that he and his family are receiving bomb threats and death threats through calls originating from Pakistani and Bangladeshi numbers.
According to Bikram Sau, the threatening calls and video calls have been coming continuously over the past several days from international numbers allegedly linked to Pakistan and Bangladesh.
Sau claimed that some callers issued direct death threats and allegedly threatened bomb attacks, leaving both him and his family frightened and deeply disturbed.
Following the allegations, local police authorities reportedly registered the complaint and launched an investigation into the matter. Officials are now examining the international phone numbers and verifying details surrounding the alleged threatening calls.
The incident has reportedly created tension and concern in the surrounding locality, especially because Bikram Sau had recently become a prominent public figure during the election campaign period.
Bikram Sau first came into national attention on April 19 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi stopped at his roadside stall while returning from a public rally and ate jhalmuri, one of Bengal’s most popular street snacks made from puffed rice mixed with spices, vegetables and mustard oil.
The brief campaign stop was captured on camera and quickly went viral across social media platforms, transforming Sau into an overnight sensation.
Sharing photographs from the visit on X, Prime Minister Modi had written that amid a packed campaign schedule involving four rallies across West Bengal, he had enjoyed delicious jhalmuri in Jhargram.
The incident soon became more than just a viral food moment and evolved into a political talking point during the heated Bengal election campaign.
Leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) highlighted the episode as an example of Modi’s connection with local culture and ordinary citizens, while the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) criticised it as political theatre.
Then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reportedly dismissed the incident as a “pre-planned drama,” intensifying the political debate surrounding the now-famous jhalmuri stall.
Prime Minister Modi later responded indirectly during another election rally, joking that while he had eaten spicy puffed rice, it was the TMC that appeared to be “feeling the heat.”
The Jhalmuri episode continued to attract attention even after the Assembly elections concluded.
During his recently completed five-nation foreign tour, Modi again referred to jhalmuri while addressing a gathering in the Netherlands, humorously asking whether jhalmuri had reached there as well.
What initially began as a brief roadside campaign interaction and later transformed into a symbol within Bengal’s political discourse has now reportedly taken a troubling turn for Bikram Sau and his family.
From becoming the face of one of the most talked-about roadside snack stalls in Bengal during the election season, Sau now claims he is facing threats and intimidation allegedly originating from across the border.
Police officials have stated that the matter is under investigation and that efforts are underway to verify the authenticity and source of the alleged calls and threats.
