Around 4,000 EVMs Destroyed in Kolkata Government Building Fire; Sabotage Suspected
A fire at a nine-storey government building in Kolkata's Alipore area on June 10, 2026 destroyed approximately 4,000 electronic voting machines that had been used in recent West Bengal Assembly elections. The EVMs were stored on the building's upper floors, and authorities have flagged an unusual fire spread pattern — affecting the third, eighth, and ninth floors while intermediate floors remained largely unaffected — as grounds for a sabotage investigation. The incident has intensified political tensions in West Bengal, with both the ruling BJP and the opposition Trinamool Congress demanding a thorough probe.
A fire broke out on June 10, 2026 at the New Administrative Building in Kolkata's Alipore area, housing the South 24 Parganas Zila Parishad office and several other government departments. Around 4,000 EVMs — including control units, ballot units, and VVPATs — stored on the ninth floor were gutted; these machines had been used across 10 assembly constituencies in the 2025 West Bengal state elections and 5 constituencies in the 2024 general elections. West Bengal Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services Kaushik Chowdhury described the fire's spread as abnormal, noting it appeared to skip several intermediate floors before reaching the upper storeys where the EVMs were kept. Authorities have registered an FIR, formed a four-member Special Investigating Team, and deployed forensic experts to collect samples, with results pending. The Trinamool Congress, which lost the state assembly election to the BJP, alleged the fire may have been a deliberate attempt to destroy electoral evidence, while the BJP also called for a full investigation. West Bengal is currently experiencing significant political upheaval, with dozens of Trinamool MLAs and MPs reportedly in open revolt against party leadership.
What's missing
The current security protocols governing EVM storage in West Bengal — and whether they were followed — have not been detailed by any source.
How coverage differed
NDTV provided the most detailed political context, noting the BJP's recent landslide victory and the Trinamool Congress's internal collapse, framing the story within a broader political crisis. The Hindu and Scroll.in focused more narrowly on the fire and sabotage allegations without as much emphasis on the post-election political dynamics.
What different sources said
- Scroll.inCenter
Kolkata: 4,000 EVMs destroyed in government building fire, minister flags sabotage possibility
- NDTVCenter
EVMs Linked To 15 Constituencies Destroyed In Kolkata Fire, Probe On
- The HinduCenter
Around 4,000 EVMs gutted as Bengal govt. building catches fire; Minister flags possibility of foul play
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