Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA and party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh’s vehicle came under a violent attack in Uttarpara, Hooghly district, on Saturday afternoon.
The incident occurred while Ghosh was travelling to attend a public rally addressed by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in Serampore.
According to Ghosh, a hostile mob armed with lathis, iron rods, and black posters blocked the roadway and launched a coordinated assault on his car.
Video footage shared across social media platforms showed individuals surrounding Ghosh’s vehicle, shouting slogans, striking the body of the car, and pelting it with eggs, which shattered the rear windshield.
Ghosh managed to turn back toward Kolkata unhurt and announced plans to head straight to Bhabani Bhavan, the state police headquarters, to register his grievances regarding security lapses.
“Not a single policeman was there. They want us to believe that there was no intelligence input… I am lucky that the driver wasn’t injured, else we would have got stranded there,” Ghosh added.
The attack unfolded ahead of Mamata Banerjee’s scheduled public meeting in Serampore, which the Calcutta High Court permitted to proceed under a strict crowd cap of 1,000 attendees. The rally was anticipated to outline the party’s roadmap for protest movements against the Election Commission of India and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
While Ghosh directly pointed fingers at BJP supporters, opposition leaders countered with claims of internal party friction.
BJP spokesperson Debjit Sarkar alleged that the attack was the result of internal clashes within the ruling party. “We have received some inputs from unconfirmed sources that supporters of TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee have said that they will not allow Ghosh to enter the area, and that’s why they attacked his car. Ghosh can’t say this in public, as it would be a huge embarrassment for the party. That’s why he is dragging the BJP. Damaging the car of an MLA is condemnable, and if the MP is behind this, then it is very dangerous for democracy. The state should take action,” Sarkar stated.
State authorities have yet to issue a formal statement regarding the specific identities of the attackers as police initiate an inquiry into the incident.
