Swapna Barman alleges Arson at Ancestral House in Jalpaiguri fresh after losing West Bengal Assembly Election

A major fire broke out on Friday evening at the old ancestral residence of Asian Games gold medallist and Trinamool Congress leader Swapna Barman in Ghoshpara under Patkata Gram Panchayat in Jalpaiguri, triggering allegations of political targeting after the recently concluded West Bengal Assembly elections.

The blaze occurred around 8:30 pm at one of Barman’s two houses in the area. The family resides in the other property, and the affected house was vacant at the time of the incident. No casualties were reported. Fire services reached the spot promptly, and intermittent rainfall helped prevent the fire from spreading to neighbouring structures.

Barman, who contested the Rajganj (SC) seat on a TMC ticket and lost, claimed the fire was a deliberate act. In a social media post, she stated that her house had been set on fire. The 29-year-old athlete expressed regret over entering politics and alleged that she and her family had been receiving threats since her electoral defeat. She has lodged a formal complaint at the local police station seeking security for herself and her relatives.

TMC leaders strongly condemned the incident and alleged it was part of post-poll violence. The opposition has denied any involvement. Police have registered a case and are investigating all possible angles, including accidental causes and deliberate arson. No arrests have been made so far.

The incident has sparked concern in North Bengal, especially given Barman’s journey from a modest Rajbanshi family in Jalpaiguri to national and international athletic prominence before venturing into politics ahead of the 2026 polls. Her defeat by a significant margin had already drawn attention; the fire has now intensified debates over political safety in the region.

Swapna Barman’s Athletics Profile and Achievements

Born on October 29, 1996, in Jalpaiguri, West Bengal, Swapna Barman is a decorated heptathlete who rose from humble beginnings to international stardom. She is the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in heptathlon at the Asian Games, clinching the title at the 2018 Jakarta Games with a personal best of 6,026 points despite competing with a severe toothache.

She also won gold at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships in Bhubaneswar. Barman has secured multiple medals at Asian Championships and Indoor Championships. She bagged golds in both heptathlon and high jump at the 2022 National Games. She was conferred the Arjuna Award in 2019. Her career best heptathlon score stands at 6,026 points.