A major controversy has erupted in West Bengal after a fire destroyed nearly 4,000 Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) stored inside a government building in Alipore, prompting Kolkata Police to establish a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to examine the incident and determine whether sabotage played any role in the blaze.
The fire broke out on June 12 at a multi-storey government building that housed several state government offices, including departments linked to election administration. Following the incident, police registered a First Information Report (FIR) and subsequently constituted a dedicated SIT to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the cause and circumstances of the fire.
According to West Bengal Minister of State for Fire Services Kaushik Chowdhury, approximately 4,000 EVMs used in 10 Assembly constituencies during the recent West Bengal Assembly elections were destroyed in the blaze. The machines reportedly included control units, ballot units, and VVPAT devices that had been stored in election offices located within the building.
The minister stated that the circumstances surrounding the fire appeared unusual and warranted closer scrutiny. He noted that election-related offices were situated on the eighth and ninth floors of the building, while other government departments, including those associated with the Sarva Shiksha Mission, Mid-Day Meal programme, and Horticulture Department, occupied different sections of the premises.
According to Chowdhury, one of the aspects attracting attention is the pattern in which the fire spread through the building. He claimed that the blaze was initially noticed on lower floors before eventually reaching upper levels where election offices and EVMs were stored. Some intermediate floors reportedly appeared less affected, leading authorities to question whether the fire behaved like a routine accidental blaze.
The minister said the spread of the fire did not appear consistent with a normal fire incident and indicated that officials were examining all possibilities, including the prospect of deliberate sabotage. However, he emphasised that definitive conclusions would depend on the findings of forensic experts and investigators.
To investigate the matter, Kolkata Police formed an SIT consisting of Assistant Commissioner of Police Sukhendu Mukhopadhyay, Inspector Hirak Dalapati, Inspector Arpan Das, and Sub-Inspector Suman Ghosh. The team has been tasked with determining the origin of the fire, assessing the extent of the damage, reviewing available evidence, and examining whether any criminal activity may have been involved.
The destruction of a large number of EVMs has also triggered political reactions. The ruling opposition party in West Bengal, All India Trinamool Congress, raised questions regarding the incident and highlighted the scale of the losses.
In a statement posted on social media, the Trinamool Congress alleged that thousands of election-related devices had been "mysteriously" destroyed in the fire. The party noted that the affected EVMs were reportedly linked to several Assembly constituencies, including areas such as Kasba, Jadavpur, Behala East, Behala West, Metiaburuz, and Satgachia, among others, under the Diamond Harbour subdivision.
The incident has drawn significant attention because EVMs are critical components of India's electoral process. Although election authorities typically maintain backups and extensive records, the destruction of such a large number of machines naturally raises questions about storage practices, security protocols, and the circumstances leading to the fire.
At present, the exact cause of the blaze remains unknown. Investigators are expected to examine forensic evidence, fire patterns, electrical systems, surveillance footage, and witness statements before reaching any conclusions. Authorities have not yet officially determined whether the fire resulted from an accident, an electrical malfunction, negligence, or any deliberate act.
The SIT's findings and the forensic investigation are likely to play a crucial role in clarifying what happened and addressing concerns that have emerged following the destruction of thousands of EVMs in one of the state's most sensitive government facilities.
