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Around 4,000 physics voting machines (EVMs) were gutted aft a authorities gathering successful Kolkata’s Alipore country that houses the South 24 Parganas Zila Parishad bureau and territory units of respective different departments caught occurrence connected Wednesday (June 10, 2026), said officials, flagging a anticipation of sabotage.
Minister of State for Fire and Emergency Services, Koushik Chowdhury, said, “The incidental took spot connected Wednesday afternoon. It’s a nine-storey gathering successful Alipore that houses the South 24 Parganas Zila Parishad, section District Forest Officer’s (DFO) office, and besides the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyaan. The EVMs were stored successful a country connected the ninth floor. All of those EVMs person been gutted.”
According to the minister, those EVMs person been utilized successful astatine slightest 10 constituencies crossed Kolkata, North 24 Parganas, and South 24 Parganas during the caller authorities assembly election.
Mr. Chowdhury, who went to sojourn the site, besides flagged a anticipation of sabotage. “Prima facie, the occurrence archetypal broke retired astatine the 3rd and 4th floors. It is not yet wide however it reached the eighth and ninth floors portion the fifth, sixth, and seventh floors were safe. It is not normal. The occurrence services unit were besides called beauteous late. Police are investigating the matter. The territory magistrate was besides asked to motorboat a probe. They are trying to hint what precisely caused the fire.”
An serviceman from the Alipore constabulary presumption besides said that the further territory magistrate has lodged an FIR based connected which a four-member peculiar investigating squad (SIT) was besides formed to analyse the matter.
Forensic examination
“A squad of forensic experts was besides appointed to analyse the site. They person collected samples and sent to the laboratory. The crushed of the occurrence tin beryllium traced erstwhile we get the report. It volition besides corroborate whether the occurrence was accidental oregon the effect of immoderate deliberate act,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, the incidental besides sparked a governmental slugfest arsenic the Trinamool Congress cornered the Election Commission of India for mismanagement.
In a station connected X, All India Trinamool Congress wrote, “Mysteriously destroyed successful fire. 4,000 Control Units. 4,000 Ballot Units. 4,000 VVPATs were linked to Kasba, Jadavpur, Behala East, Behala West, Metiaburuz, Satgachia and aggregate assembly constituencies nether Diamond Harbour sub-division. ECI cannot support hiding down planted narratives forever. Judicial involution was antecedently sought to sphere EVMs and CCTV footage. Then however tin specified incidents happen?”
The connection further added: “Was this simply an accident…or a calculated effort to marque important grounds vanish aft tampering with Democracy itself?”
