Jhargram jhalmuri seller gets ‘bomb threats’ after serving PM Modi
Vikram Shaw claims threats began after videos and photos of PM stopping at his stall during assembly poll campaign went viral on social media
A roadside jhalmuri seller from Jhargram, Vikram Shaw, who shot to national attention after serving a snack to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an election campaign, has now alleged that he and his family are living in constant fear after receiving threatening phone calls and WhatsApp messages from numbers believed to be linked to Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The businessman claimed that the threats began after videos and photographs of the prime minister stopping at his stall during the assembly election campaign went viral on social media. According to him, several callers speaking in Bengali and Hindi repeatedly warned that his small roadside shop would be “blown up” because the prime minister had visited it.
Speaking to local reporters, a visibly shaken Shaw said, “They call me at all hours. Some people make video calls, greet me with ‘Salaam Alaikum’, and then show weapons on camera. They threaten to bomb my shop. They say they are targeting me because Modi came to my stall.”
Vikram Shaw alleged that the calls were likely coming from Pakistan and Bangladesh because many of the WhatsApp numbers reportedly carried international country codes linked to those countries. He also claimed that some callers identified themselves as being from across the border during conversations. However, these claims have not yet been independently verified by authorities.
The prime minister’s now-famous stop at the humble jhalmuri stall took place near College More in Jhargram during the heated West Bengal assembly election campaign. As his convoy moved towards the helipad after a rally, it suddenly halted and Modi stepped out to buy a ten-rupee serving of the popular Bengali snack.
When the vendor asked whether he would like extra chillies and onions, the prime minister smiled and reportedly replied, “I only don’t eat people’s brains.” The light-hearted exchange quickly went viral online and became a major talking point during the election season.
What initially brought joy and recognition to the small businessman has now, he says, turned into a nightmare.
His elderly mother said the family has become terrified by the repeated threats. “We are poor people. This little stall is our only source of income. Now they are threatening to blow it up. We are frightened every day,” she said.
Local police officials confirmed that a complaint has been lodged and that an investigation is underway. According to sources, officers have begun examining the phone numbers and WhatsApp accounts allegedly used to issue the threats. Cybercrime specialists are also expected to assist in tracing the origin of the calls.
A senior police officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “We are taking the matter seriously. Technical details related to the calls and messages are being verified. Necessary security measures are also being considered.”
Police personnel have reportedly increased patrolling around the vendor’s shop, while local intelligence units are closely monitoring the situation.
The jhalmuri episode had earlier triggered sharp political exchanges in West Bengal. Leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress had mocked the roadside snack stop as political “drama”, prompting Modi to later respond at a rally by saying, “I ate the jhalmuri, but it was the Trinamool that felt the burn.”
Since then, jhalmuri has repeatedly surfaced in Bengal’s political culture. Bharatiya Janata Party workers distributed the snack during victory celebrations, while senior leaders including Nirmala Sitharaman and Dilip Ghosh have publicly embraced the symbol. Dilip Ghosh was recently seen enjoying jhalmuri while watching an IPL match at Eden Gardens alongside fellow legislators.
Even during his recent visit to the Netherlands, Modi referred to Bengal’s beloved snack while interacting with members of the Indian diaspora, jokingly asking the crowd, “Has jhalmuri reached here as well?”
For the vendor in Jhargram, however, the attention surrounding his now-famous stall has become deeply unsettling. With fear gripping the family, local residents are now urging the administration to provide stronger protection before the situation escalates further.