KOLKATA: Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee endured a tumultuous day of political upheaval on Saturday, facing both a physical assault by protesters in Sonarpur on Kolkata's southern outskirts and a summons from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in a fake-signature probe, as pressure mounted on him following TMC's electoral setback.
Attack in Sonarpur
Abhishek Banerjee, 38, was chased, abused, and assaulted by a crowd while attempting to reach the residence of a TMC worker killed in post-poll violence in Sonarpur. Protesters shouted slogans like “chor, chor” (thief, thief), hurled eggs, stones, and slippers, tore his shirt, punched and slapped him, and broke his spectacles during a 10-minute attack.
Forced to wear a helmet for protection, Banerjee was escorted by party workers through a 600-meter muddy stretch to reach the house of Sanju Karmakar. He remained inside for over an hour as protesters camped outside. Security forces later escorted him out.
Hospitalization and Political Reactions
Banerjee was admitted to a hospital in south Kolkata with bruises and chest injuries but was shifted to his home late at night, as Mamata Banerjee stated that “hospital authorities said they are under threat.” She announced that she and TMC workers would hold street protests on Sunday.
“It was a planned attack by BJP workers. Everyone knew I was coming,” Abhishek Banerjee said.
State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the violence but claimed that public anger against TMC had been building for years.
CID Summons in Fake-Signature Case
Hours before the attack, the Bengal CID served Banerjee a notice directing him to appear at its headquarters on Monday in connection with a fake-signature controversy involving a TMC resolution that proposed Sovandeb Chattopadhyay's name as the leader of opposition in the assembly.
Accepting the notice, Banerjee said he would consult his legal team and called the probe “political vendetta and abuse of power.”
About the Author: Tamaghna Banerjee, a reporter from Kolkata, covers crime, aviation, human rights, and politics. He has a keen interest in human interest and rural reporting. He holds a postgraduate degree in journalism and mass communication and has 14 years of experience in journalism.
