Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday voiced serious concerns about law and order in West Bengal following the detention of an allegedly armed individual at Kolkata Airport on Friday night.
Incident Details
In a post on X, Banerjee stated, “Last night at Kolkata Airport, shortly after I landed from Delhi, a shocking incident took place. Armed individuals were apprehended, leading to serious questions about security and the lengths to which some are willing to go.” He shared a video showing a person holding what appeared to be a pistol.
The TMC second-in-command had traveled to Delhi earlier in the day to meet Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and raise objections over the merger of rebel TMC MPs with the Tripura-based National Citizens’ Party of India (NCPI).
TMC MP Derek O'Brien's Allegations
Separately, TMC MP Derek O'Brien alleged that a “BJP supporter” was seen at the airport exit with a firearm when he and Abhishek Banerjee were leaving the premises. He shared videos on X showing a person being escorted away and claimed it was an “attempt to murder” the Diamond Harbour MP.
“BJP SUPPORTER WITH A GUN. Chilling video. More proof from outside Kolkata airport last night. Attempt to murder?” O'Brien posted. In another post, the Rajya Sabha member shared a video from the TMC’s official handle showing a person being surrounded and restrained, stating that the individual was caught by women supporters of the party. He also questioned the role of West Bengal Police in the incident.
“Minutes before @abhishekaitc along with @KBanerjee_AITC and I walked out of Kolkata airport at around 9.45 pm. Armed man at exit. Nabbed by women supporters of TMC. Bengal Police? Videos say it all,” he wrote.
Political Context
The TMC alleged that the incident was a “state-sponsored attempt to eliminate a political opponent” and raised concerns about law and order in the state under the leadership of Suvendu Adhikari, West Bengal's new chief minister.
The fresh incident comes amid rising political tensions in West Bengal. After TMC’s defeat in the April assembly elections, which ended party supremo Mamata Banerjee’s 15-year tenure as chief minister, several Trinamool leaders, including her nephew Abhishek Banerjee, have been attacked with eggs in separate incidents.
