2 Attacks in 24 Hours: West Bengal Politics
Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee were attacked within 24 hours in West Bengal, increasing political tensions between TMC and BJP.
On 30th May 2026, Abhishek Banerjee, General Secretary of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and nephew of Mamata Banerjee, was attacked by a crowd in Sonarpur, West Bengal.
The incident happened when he was going to visit the family of Sanju Karmakar, a TMC worker who was killed in post-poll violence. As Banerjee approached the area, a group of protesters surrounded him, shouted slogans like "chor, chor", and threw eggs, stones, and slippers at him.
During the attack, his shirt was torn, and he was punched and slapped. His spectacles were also broken. The incident reportedly lasted for around 10 minutes. For safety, he had to wear a helmet and was escorted by party workers through a muddy stretch of about 600 metres to reach the victim’s house.
Banerjee stayed at the house for more than an hour while protesters remained outside. Later, security personnel helped him leave the area. He suffered bruises and chest injuries and was taken to a hospital before being shifted home.
Mamata Banerjee claimed that hospital authorities were under pressure and announced that the TMC would hold street protests. She alleged that the attack was planned by BJP workers and that outsiders were brought in to carry it out. Opposition leaders also blamed the BJP for the incident.
Police arrested four people based on video evidence and registered a case, even though no formal complaint was filed by Banerjee or the TMC.
The political tension continued the next day. Senior TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee was also allegedly attacked in Hooghly while visiting a police station to submit a memorandum regarding post-poll violence and arrests of TMC workers. He claimed he suffered a head injury during the incident.
The attack took place near Chanditala More, close to the police station. It was later described as an "attempt to murder", raising concerns about security arrangements in the state.
The BJP denied all allegations and rejected the claims made by the TMC. The situation is part of the ongoing political clash between the BJP and TMC after the 2026 West Bengal elections, where both parties have accused each other of violence and intimidation.
Since two senior leaders were attacked within 24 hours, the TMC described it as a coordinated campaign against its leaders.
However, another issue came up soon after. A meeting of TMC’s newly elected MLAs at Mamata Banerjee’s residence saw a low turnout. Only 20 out of 80 MLAs attended the meeting, while others were absent.
This raised questions about unity within the party. The TMC, however, said that many MLAs were busy organising protests against political violence and could not attend the meeting.
