New Delhi: What started as a simple roadside snack break during the high-voltage Bengal polls has spiralled into multiple viral narratives, ranging from a ₹10 note allegedly being "worth" ₹1.11 lakh to bizarre claims that the jhalmuri vendor was actually an SPG officer in disguise.
SPG theory spreads online
According to a report by local Bengali news platform Indiahood, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during a campaign visit to West Bengal's Jhargram on April 20, made an unscheduled stop at a roadside stall and bought jhalmuri for ₹10.
The moment, captured on camera, quickly went viral, showing Modi casually interacting with locals and even sharing the snack. However, within hours, social media took the story in unexpected directions.
One set of viral posts claimed that the ₹10 note used by the Prime Minister had suddenly become a collector's item, with a businessman from Haryana allegedly offering ₹1.11 lakh to purchase it.
The claim added a layer of intrigue to an otherwise ordinary exchange, turning the note into a symbol of viral hype during the election season.
However, there is no verified confirmation that such a deal has actually taken place or that the note has been sold.
At the same time, another misleading narrative began circulating online, this one questioning the authenticity of the vendor himself.
Reela and memes flooded social media, suggesting that the man serving jhalmuri was not a real vendor but a Special Protection Group (SPG) officer planted for optics. Check one such reel below:
These posts used stitched images and misleading comparisons to push the claim. However, this theory does not hold up to even basic scrutiny.
Fact checks and ground reports have clarified that the vendor was indeed a genuine resident.
The shopkeeper, identified as Vikram Shaw (also reported as Deepak Kumar), spoke to IANS and described the encounter as completely unexpected.
He said he was "amazed" when the Prime Minister stopped by his modest stall, called it a "huge thing," and shared that Modi insisted on paying for the snack.
Shaw, who earns a modest living to support his family, added that he never imagined such a moment and even joked later that he regretted not asking for an autograph.
Interestingly, even AI chatbot Grok weighed in on the viral claim, stating: "No, it's not true. That's a satirical meme collage… The right photo is the actual jhalmuri shopkeeper… The left is a stock SPG officer image." It further noted that while memes amplified the confusion, there is "no proof they're the same person, pure political satire."
Eyewitnesses present at the scene also described the visit as spontaneous and unscripted.
The Prime Minister was seen engaging casually with locals, sharing food and smiles, far removed from the orchestrated narrative suggested by viral posts.
In reality, what remains is a brief, human interaction in a small town that has been magnified by the internet into multiple layers of speculation, misinformation, and curiosity.
Whether it's the ₹1.11 lakh bidding claim or the SPG disguise theory, both highlight how quickly facts can be distorted in the age of viral content, especially during an election season. And yet, beneath all the noise, the truth is far simpler: a roadside vendor, a ₹10 snack, and a moment that captured national attention.