Police have registered three cases after clashes broke out near Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee’s residence in Kolkata’s Kalighat area, with one police-initiated FIR naming the Diamond Harbour MP and two people arrested for allegedly assaulting police personnel.
The clashes began on Friday night as Trinamool supporters gathered near Banerjee’s home to mark his birthday. According to the report, an argument with local Bharatiya Janata Party workers and supporters escalated into pushing, brick-throwing and physical clashes. Several people from both sides were injured, police sources said.
Police had to use batons to disperse the groups and control the situation. Banerjee alleged that his party office had been vandalised and later claimed that four or five of his supporters had sustained serious injuries. The BJP supporters also filed a complaint against him, according to police-linked information cited in the report.
Of the three cases registered at Kalighat police station, two were filed by the police on their own initiative. One of those cases names Banerjee. The MP also complained against unidentified BJP workers, following which another FIR was registered. The report said that some BJP workers had separately complained against Banerjee.
Two people have been arrested in connection with the incident. They are accused of slapping police officers during the confrontation. Police are examining CCTV footage from the area to identify other people who may have been involved, according to the report.
The incident also led to a confrontation between Banerjee and the police. He began a sit-in protest outside his residence on Friday night and argued with officers. Banerjee alleged that BJP supporters had attacked people with sticks fitted with nails. He said he had warned on social media two days earlier that he feared an attack and had tagged the Lok Sabha Speaker in that post.
Banerjee entered his residence around 6.30 am on Saturday after police intervened. Later, former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee publicly criticised Kalighat police station officer-in-charge Balai Bag over the handling of the situation. She also criticised Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay and demanded his resignation, while alleging that a religious ceremony was being held illegally on the road outside the residence to obstruct visitors attending a ceremony at Banerjee’s home.
Tension returned outside the residence on Saturday afternoon, but police brought the situation under control. The episode has placed the functioning of a local police station, crowd management around a politically sensitive residence and the safety of residents and passers-by under immediate scrutiny. The police investigation, including examination of CCTV footage and identification of further suspects, is continuing.
