A viral news graphic falsely claims that the man who served jhalmuri to Narendra Modi in Bengal's Jhargram, is originally a jawan and employed as the prime minister's security personnel under the special protection group (SPG).
BOOM reached out to the vendor Vikram Shaw who confirmed that the viral claim is baseless, and that he is not associated with the SPG. SPG is under the Cabinet Secretariat of the Government of India and is responsible for the security of the Prime Minister and their family.
Narendra Modi on April 19 stopped by a local shop to buy jhalmuri, which is a staple Bengali savoury snack made out of puffed rice, onions and condiments. On April 20, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took a dig at Modi claiming that the entire act was staged and the jhalmuri was made by an SPG commander. She also questioned how a camera was installed in the shop beforehand to film Modi.
The Claim
The graphic has gone viral online with a Hindi caption that the shopkeeper who sold jhalmuri to the Prime Minister was actually an SPG personnel assigned to his security. The caption "Full time SPG and Part Time Jhal Moori Seller," is circulating with the graphic.
Click here to view the post and here for an archive.
What We Found: Vikram Shaw Is a Local Vendor, Not an SPG Commando
1. Shaw Rubbishes Viral Claim: BOOM visited the shop in Jhargram for spoke to the jhalmuri vendor Vikram Shaw. The vendor denied the viral claim and confirmed that he has no connection with the SPG. “These claims are false,” Shaw told BOOM. BOOM's reporter, a local from Jhargram, has also been a regular customer at Shaw's shop, located at College More in Jhargram, and she corroborated the same.
A local shopkeeper, Tapan Mukhopadhyay, told BOOM that Shaw is a well-known local vendor of College More. “I have known him for several years. He operates his business which he started with his parents. They are from Bihar but are settled here now,” he said.
2. Studied In Gaya Till Class 9: In a video report by IANS from April 19, 2026 Shaw discusses his interaction with Modi and shares details about his background, that he hails from Gaya in Bihar and studied till Class 9.
The vendor can also be heard stating that he had to leave his studies due to financial issues and take up business to support his family.