Bengal: TMC questions arrests, alleges planned BJP attack on Abhishek

Police have arrested five people in connection with Saturday's attack on Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general-secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee in Sonarpur. Investigators said the accused were identified through video footage collected after Sonarpur police station registered a suo motu case.

According to police sources, those arrested are Akash Gayen, Kajal Das, Debashish Dutta, Tapan Maity and Nirmalya 'Joy' Sengupta. They have been booked under sections related to causing injury, unlawful assembly, obstruction of public roads and abusive behaviour. All five are residents of ward no. 9 of Rajpur-Sonarpur municipality, where the incident took place. Police said further arrests are possible as the investigation continues. The accused were produced before the Baruipur sub-divisional court on Sunday, 31 May.

The attack occurred when Banerjee visited Sonarpur to meet the family of a TMC worker who the party claims was killed in post-poll violence. As he entered the area, protesters showed black flags, raised slogans of "chor, chor (thief)" and allegedly hurled eggs, shoes and stones. Banerjee's shirt was torn during the scuffle.

Banerjee later said he escaped a potentially fatal injury because he was wearing a helmet when stones were thrown at him. While the BJP denied any organisational role in the incident, senior TMC leaders alleged that the attack had been planned in advance.

Banerjee accused the BJP of organising the assault and bringing in people from outside the locality. He claimed those involved appeared to know about his visit beforehand and were waiting for his arrival.

Several TMC leaders also alleged that individuals seen attacking Banerjee in videos and photographs were known BJP leaders and workers. Former Sonarpur South MLA Lovely Moitra said she had identified several people seen in the footage and provided their details to local police, though she said she could not lodge a formal FIR because she had been out of station.

TMC leaders further alleged that police were deliberately arresting party workers to create the impression that Banerjee had been attacked by his own supporters. They described such suggestions as politically motivated.

While being taken to court, Sengupta claimed he had been associated with TMC since 1998. "I have been a member of the Trinamool Congress since 1998. Abhishek Banerjee came here only after contacting me personally. Why would I attack him?" he told reporters.

His family alleged that he had been falsely implicated and had even advised Banerjee not to visit the area because of prevailing tensions.

The incident has also raised questions about how the confrontation unfolded. According to local sources, Banerjee was allowed to travel deep into a narrow lane before being surrounded. Some observers questioned why protesters did not block him at the main road if their intention was simply to prevent his visit.

Sources familiar with local politics noted that the locality has had a strong RSS presence for several years and has not traditionally been a strong TMC base in recent elections.

The attack has also triggered questions about security arrangements in the aftermath of the Assembly election results. TMC leaders pointed to earlier statements by Union home minister Amit Shah that hundreds of companies of Central forces would remain deployed in West Bengal to deal with post-poll violence.

Party leaders claimed no Central force personnel were visible when the attack began and that reinforcements arrived only after the situation had deteriorated. They also questioned why stronger preventive security arrangements had not been made for leaders who could face threats after the elections.

Following the attack, Banerjee was taken to a hospital in south Kolkata, where his aunt and former chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited him and alleged that pressure was being exerted on the hospital, claiming Abhishek was not receiving proper treatment. He was later taken to another medical facility but was not admitted there either.

Hospital authorities reportedly said his injuries did not require admission and that his condition was not serious enough to warrant inpatient treatment. Mamata Banerjee later claimed the assault had caused blood clotting in his chest, though no official medical bulletin detailing the extent of his injuries has been made public.

As of Sunday night, Banerjee had returned home. There was no official indication that his condition was critical, though party leaders said he remained under medical observation.

Police have not publicly stated whether any women seen in footage of the attack have been arrested, nor whether the individual allegedly responsible for throwing the stone that struck Banerjee's helmet has been identified.

Following messages of support from INDIA bloc leaders, Banerjee thanked them publicly on social media. Responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, he wrote: "Thank you, Rahul-ji, for always standing by my side in this manner. We will fight together to protect the soul of India. We will unite to fight for the preservation of our Constitution and to safeguard our democratic institutions."

In another post, he said, "If they believe that they can mentally break us through physical assault, they are sorely mistaken."

Banerjee also thanked Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Hemant Soren and other Opposition leaders who condemned the attack.

The TMC has announced statewide protests in response. Senior party leader Kunal Ghosh said demonstrations would be organised across every block of West Bengal on Monday to protest what the party described as a politically motivated attack.

The party has also confirmed that Mamata Banerjee will hold a protest sit-in on Rani Rashmoni Road in Kolkata on 2 June. Former Chinsurah MLA Asit Majumdar also joined demonstrations on Sunday, which later shifted focus from fuel and cooking gas prices to the attack on Banerjee.

The police investigation remains active, with officers continuing to examine video footage and identify additional suspects. While the BJP has denied involvement and rejected TMC allegations, the ruling party has vowed to pursue legal action and continue its political campaign over what it describes as a planned assault on one of its senior leaders.