The Bharatiya Janata Party secured a decisive majority in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections, but the political developments were quickly overshadowed by reports of violence and the rapid spread of misinformation on social media. A viral video showing a house engulfed in flames was widely circulated with claims that BJP workers had set fire to the residence of Trinamool Congress chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, along with a TMC office. Several social media users also urged supporters to shut down Kolkata in protest.
An investigation by Vishvas News found that the viral claim was false. While incidents of violence were reported in parts of West Bengal after the election results, the video being circulated had no connection to the state or the ongoing political unrest. The footage was actually from Bangladesh and dated back several months before the election results.
The video was shared on May 4, 2026, by a Facebook user identified as “Akhtar Bhohariya.” The post alleged that, with support from the Central Reserve Police Force, individuals linked to BJP workers had set fire to Mamata Banerjee’s residence and a TMC office. The post further claimed that Mamata Banerjee had been attacked and called for a shutdown of Kolkata, describing the matter as an issue of public honour.
To verify the authenticity of the video, key frames were extracted and examined through reverse image searches using Google Lens. The search led investigators to a report published by India TV on January 16, 2026. The report carried screenshots matching the viral footage and stated that Hindu families had been attacked in Bangladesh. According to the report, Islamic fundamentalists had allegedly set fire to the residence of Birendra Kumar Dey in Bahor village of Nandirgaon Union in Gowaighat, Sylhet district.
The same video was also posted on January 16, 2026, by Bangladeshi journalist and Blitz editor Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury. In his post, he identified the victim as Birendra Kumar Dey, also known as “Jhunu Sir,” a school teacher whose house in Bahor village of Nandirgaon Union in Gowainghat Upazila, Sylhet district, had allegedly been targeted by Islamic extremists.
However, another report published by ANI on January 16, 2026, presented a different account of the incident. According to the report, the fire broke out at the residence of Bikash Ranjan Deb in Gowaighat, located in eastern Bangladesh. Police Sub-Inspector Didar stated that the fire was caused by an electrical short circuit. Bikash Ranjan Deb also reportedly informed police authorities that he believed the incident was accidental and not linked to any deliberate attack.
Although the viral video was falsely linked to West Bengal, reports of post-election violence did emerge from the state following the declaration of results. According to a report published by Aaj Tak on May 4, 2026, tensions escalated in the Barabani area of Asansol, where two TMC offices were vandalised and later set on fire. TMC leaders accused BJP workers of carrying out the attacks.
The Election Commission of India declared the results for assembly elections held in West Bengal, Kerala, Assam, Tamil Nadu, and Puducherry. The BJP won a commanding majority in West Bengal with 206 seats and also secured victory in Assam with 82 seats. In Puducherry, the National Democratic Alliance won 18 seats. In Kerala, the Congress-led United Democratic Front achieved a majority with more than 100 seats. In Tamil Nadu, actor Joseph C Vijay’s party, Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam, emerged as the single largest party after winning 108 seats.
Senior Dainik Jagran correspondent Rajeev Kumar Jha, based in Kolkata, confirmed that there were no reports of any attack on Mamata Banerjee’s residence. His statement directly contradicted the claims circulating on social media.
Further examination of the Facebook profile that shared the misleading claim revealed that the account holder identified himself as a resident of Ahmedabad and had approximately 1,000 followers. The account was created on March 2, 2012, and investigators noted that its content reflected influence from a specific ideological perspective.
About The Author
Comment List