Fire Destroys 4,000 Electronic Voting Machines in Kolkata Facility; Sabotage Probe Underway
A massive fire at the South 24 Parganas Zilla Parishad office in Alipore, Kolkata, destroyed around 4,000 Electronic Voting Machines used in 10 constituencies during the April West Bengal elections. With sabotage suspected, forensic teams are investigating as political tensions rise over election integrity concerns.
The incident has triggered a high-level investigation amid concerns of possible sabotage. Officials confirmed that no casualties were reported in the blaze, which rapidly engulfed the storage facility and resulted in extensive damage to election equipment stored on the premises.
According to Minister Kaushik Chowdhury, the nature of the fire does not appear to be accidental, and the possibility of deliberate sabotage is being actively examined. Forensic teams have been deployed to collect and analyze samples from the site to determine the cause of the incident.
The destruction of the voting machines comes in the aftermath of the West Bengal elections, in which the Bharatiya Janata Party secured 208 seats, while the Trinamool Congress saw its tally decline to 80 seats. The timing of the incident has intensified scrutiny and renewed debate over election integrity in the state.
Political reactions have been swift, with leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party demanding a thorough investigation into potential foul play. Meanwhile, the Trinamool Congress faces growing political pressure as allegations and counter-allegations emerge in the wake of the fire.
As investigations continue, the incident remains under close administrative and forensic review, with authorities working to establish whether the destruction of thousands of Electronic Voting Machines was accidental or the result of deliberate action.
The episode has emerged as a significant flashpoint in West Bengal’s already charged political environment, raising serious questions about the security of electoral infrastructure.

Comment List