TMC's Abhishek Banerjee attacked by mob (Img: Internet)
Kolkata: Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was allegedly attacked by a mob during his visit to South 24 Parganas in West Bengal on Saturday. The incident took place in Sonarpur South, where the TMC leader had gone to meet families reportedly affected by post-poll violence following the recent Assembly elections.
According to police and eyewitnesses, a group of unidentified individuals hurled stones, eggs and shoes at Banerjee’s convoy while raising slogans against him. Videos circulating online showed security personnel quickly surrounding the TMC MP and escorting him away from the area. In the visuals, Banerjee could also be seen wearing a police helmet for protection, while his shirt appeared torn during the scuffle.
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Reacting strongly after the incident, Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating the attack. He claimed the assault was a deliberate attempt to intimidate and physically harm him.
“They wanted to kill me. The entire incident has been captured on camera,” Banerjee told reporters after the attack. He further alleged that law enforcement agencies failed to prevent the violence despite the tense atmosphere in the region.
The TMC leader also stated that his party would approach both the Calcutta High Court and the Governor regarding the incident. According to the party, Banerjee had travelled to the area to meet the family of Sanju Karmakar, a slain TMC worker, along with several others allegedly targeted in post-election violence.
The incident came on the same day that the West Bengal CID issued a notice summoning Banerjee to appear before investigators on June 1. The summons is linked to an ongoing probe involving alleged forged signatures of TMC legislators in communication submitted to the Assembly Secretariat.
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Responding to the notice, Banerjee said he would consult his legal team before replying and maintained that he would cooperate with the investigation. He also accused multiple agencies of being used to politically target him.
The attack marks Banerjee’s first major public appearance since the TMC’s electoral setback earlier this month. The incident is expected to further intensify the political confrontation between the TMC and BJP in West Bengal, where allegations of post-poll violence and political targeting continue to dominate the political discourse.
