India
-Gaurav Sharma
Tension has risen in Asansol ahead of Bengal’s vote counting on May 4 after BJP workers claimed to uncover a sealed envelope containing documents and a switched-off mobile phone in a vehicle near the EVM strongroom at Asansol Engineering College, sparking protests and a quick police response.
The dispute unfolded outside the campus when BJP supporters gathered and accused rivals of a “conspiracy”. They demanded that authorities immediately impound the vehicle, preserve all material found inside, and conduct a detailed investigation, as the car was on election duty and linked to the Election Commission.
Ahead of Bengal’s May 4 vote count, BJP workers found a sealed envelope and phone near the Asansol EVM strongroom, sparking protests and a police investigation. TMC suggested the phone might connect to April 9 rally thefts.
Probe and security measures at Asansol EVM strongroom
A police team led by Deputy Commissioner of Police Dhruvi Das reached Asansol Engineering College following the protest. Officials seized the sealed envelope, removed the mobile phone and documents, and initiated an investigation to trace where the packet originated and why such items were left close to the Asansol EVM strongroom.
According to initial information from sources, BJP workers had examined the parked vehicle themselves before authorities arrived. They allegedly discovered the envelope inside and noticed markings that appeared to connect the packet with the Raniganj Assembly constituency, raising further suspicion because the car had official poll duty status near the Asansol EVM strongroom.
TMC reaction and phone-theft angle near Asansol EVM strongroom
Leaders from the Trinamool Congress rejected suggestions of manipulation linked to the envelope or the phone. The TMC’s Asansol district president stated that police should also consider whether the recovered handset might belong to the group of around 450 mobile phones reported stolen during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s April 9 rally at Polo Ground.
That rally in the Asansol constituency had already drawn attention after large-scale pickpocketing was reported. Many visitors alleged their phones vanished in the crowds, prompting a separate controversy. TMC functionaries now want investigators to check if the seized phone is recorded in any complaints from that April 9 event.
Political context and wider checks around Asansol EVM strongroom
The discovery near the Asansol EVM strongroom comes as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee continues to allege counting malpractice and EVM tampering before results are declared. Against this background, security teams have tightened arrangements around strongrooms and officials have promised strict action if any irregularities are proven.
In another incident the same day, tension flared in Bhabanipur, Mamata Banerjee’s assembly constituency. TMC workers there alleged that two vehicles carrying BJP flags were allowed into a compound holding EVMs, igniting a separate dispute about access control and adding to political friction already intensified by events near the Asansol EVM strongroom.
| Event | Location | Date | Key Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Envelope and phone found near strongroom | Asansol Engineering College | May 3, 2026 | Vehicle on poll duty; documents linked to Raniganj; protests by BJP workers |
| Alleged phone thefts at rally | Polo Ground, Asansol | April 9, 2026 | About 450 mobile phones reportedly stolen during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s event |
| Vehicle access dispute near EVMs | Bhabanipur | May 3, 2026 | TMC alleges two BJP-flagged vehicles entered EVM compound |
With counting scheduled on May 4, both TMC and BJP workers are maintaining a close watch outside strongrooms across Bengal, including at the Asansol EVM strongroom and in Bhabanipur, as police analyse the seized envelope and phone and authorities stress that any confirmed violation will bring strong legal steps.
