Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee was attacked with stones, eggs and shoes by a hostile crowd during a visit to Sonarpur in South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, triggering a fresh political confrontation between the ruling party and the BJP.
The dramatic incident unfolded at Kamrabad under the Rajpur-Sonarpur municipality when Banerjee arrived to meet the family of Sanju Karmakar, who allegedly died in post-poll violence following the recent civic elections.
As Banerjee attempted to enter the locality on a motorcycle, groups of agitated residents gathered around him, shouting slogans and hurling eggs, shoes and other objects. Television footage showed a chaotic scene as protesters raised chants of “thief, thief”, while some allegedly tried to physically assault the TMC leader.
The situation escalated rapidly, forcing Banerjee to abandon the motorcycle and proceed on foot towards the victim's residence, located around a kilometre away. Amid the commotion, security personnel and party workers formed a protective cordon around him.
Visuals from the scene showed Banerjee wearing a police-issued helmet for protection as stones and eggs were hurled at him. His shirt was torn and his spectacles were damaged during the melee.
After meeting the bereaved family, Banerjee alleged that BJP activists had orchestrated the attack and accused them of attempting to kill him.
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“They wanted to kill me. The whole incident has been captured on camera. We will definitely let the High Court know about this. We will also inform the Governor,” he said.
Claiming there was inadequate police presence at the spot when the attack occurred, Banerjee said he would not leave the area until additional security forces arrived.
Several local women who participated in the protest questioned the purpose of his visit and accused the ruling party of failing to address civic grievances, including poor roads, drainage problems and inadequate drinking water supply.
Some protesters also referred to Banerjee's campaign remarks ahead of the civic polls and accused the TMC of intimidating political opponents.
A large contingent of police personnel and central security forces later reached the area and escorted the TMC leader out amid continued sloganeering from residents.
Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee condemned the incident, blaming the BJP for the violence. In a post on social media platform X, she wrote: “RULERS BECAME KILLERS — shame on you BJP!”
BJP state president Samik Bhattacharya denied any involvement, describing the incident as a manifestation of public anger. He said violence had no place in a democracy but alleged that residents had suffered years of intimidation under TMC rule.
The incident has added a fresh flashpoint to the already charged political atmosphere in West Bengal following the recent civic elections.
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