TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee guards himself with a helmet following alleged attack by unidentified people during his visit to Sonarpur to meet the post-poll violence victims’ families, in Sonarpur on Saturday, May 30, 2026.
| Photo Credit: ANI
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was on Saturday (May 30, 2026) attacked by an irate mob during his visit to the residence of a party worker allegedly killed during post poll violence at Sonarpur in Soutrh 24 Parganas district.
Eggs and shoes were thrown at the Trinamool leader as security personnel tried to shield him from the mob which was raising ‘chor chor ( thief thief)’ slogans. Mr. Banerjee had to put on a helmet but the crowd kept chasing him, raising slogans and throwing projectiles at him all the way till the residence of the local Trinamool supporter. The incident happened at ward number nine of Rajpur Sonarpur Municipality, located in the southern fringes of Kolkata.
#WATCH | Sonarpur, West Bengal: TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee says, “…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 let the governor know about this… I will definitely move to court…” https://t.co/MIZUJSZi3ypic.twitter.com/LWBApD95oC
— ANI (@ANI) May 30, 2026
A large number of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters mostly women had gathered outside the residence of the Trinamool Congress worker as the party general secretary remained holed up inside the house. The women, who were carrying eggs ,said that they will not leave till they settle their scores with him. The crowd expressed their displeasure on a number of issues particularly the Trinamool leader’s remark to play DJ (disc jockey) music after results of elections were announced, an oblique reference to settling score with political rivals.
“They want to kill me. Even if my dead body is taken out from the place, I will not leave the place without speaking to the parents of Sanju ( the dead party worker),” Mr. Banerjee told media persons accompanying him.
The impasse continued for over an hour and police and central forces reached the venue to control the situation. With a large crowd gathered outside the house where Abhishek Banerjee has taken shelter , it seemed impossible that he could leave without police intervention. Mr. Banerjee was escorted out of the house by the police and security personnel.
“My head was somehow spared; fortunately, I was wearing a helmet. They have torn my clothes and broken my spectacles,” the Trinamool leader said.
Abhishek Banerjee had announced that he will visit the residence of party workers affected by post poll violence from Saturday (May 30). “It’s all BJP-sponsored. Look what they have done. This is their example of democracy. It hasn’t even been a month, and the police are nowhere to be seen,” he said.
West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya appealed for calm and said that violence should have no place in a democracy.
“ If the Trinamool had come to power, 500 of our workers would have been killed and I would not be standing here. Why did not he come to campaign for Falta (Assembly re-poll). There is anger amongst people but there is no space for violence in democracy,” the BJP leader asked.
While there have been several instances of local level Trinamool Congress workers being attacked by angry locals after May 4, when the BJP stormed to power in West Bengal, the attack on Abhishek Banerjee, who is the number two in the party is unprecedented.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge condemned the attack on Mr. Banerjee in Sonarpur, saying “ The Government of West Bengal and the Union Government must ensure security for all Opposition leaders and take immediate steps to prevent such attacks. Political differences can never justify any kind of violence.”
Strongly condemn the shocking attack on MP Shri Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur, as he went to meet the families affected by post-poll violence in the state.
The deliberate lack of adequate police protection for a prominent Opposition leader speaks volumes about the BJP’s…
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) May 30, 2026
Published – May 30, 2026 05:47 pm IST
