Kolkata: Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee came under attack in Halisahar, North 24 Parganas, on Sunday afternoon while she was visiting the family of a TMC worker who died in police custody late on Friday. Her white SUV was smeared with mud, while bricks, stones and slippers were hurled at it. Water and mud were also allegedly thrown at the former CM.“I could have died,” Mamata said, prompting sharp reactions from Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya and state minister Agnimitra Paul, who said such incidents were “not Bengal’s culture” and promised strict action against those responsible.CM Suvendu Adhikari ruled out any BJP angle behind the attack and praised cops for “supporting her properly”. He also took a dig at Mamata for “playing politics on a holiday, accompanied by a lawyer” and asked if she was entitled to the “extensive security arrangements” that were in place.Mamata had gone to Pramodnagar to meet Birju Keot’s family. Birju, the husband of Jenny Sharma Keot, a former TMC councillor of Kanchrapara municipality, died at Halisahar PS late on Friday.As Mamata arrived at the spot, protesters surrounded her vehicle and raised “chor, chor” (thief) and “dakat rani” (dacoit queen) slogans. She claimed that bricks and stones were hurled at her vehicle in the presence of police. “Had the windows been open, I could have suffered a fatal head injury. I have never witnessed such an attack. The police remained silent spectators,” she said.Mamata said she had a word with Birju’s wife late on Saturday and again on Sunday morning, but “the local BJP MLA kept intimidating her”. The former CM, accompanied by TMC’s Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee, Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen and Upasana Chowdhury, eventually met Birju’s wife despite the protests. She also spoke with Birju’s elder brother.Later, police escorted Mamata’s vehicle safely out of Halisahar.Mamata alleged that the attack was carried out by BJP’s “lumpen force” and said it was a conspiracy. “I have lost faith in local police and will pursue the matter to ensure accountability and justice for the victim’s family,” she said.Adhikari said: “The police team, led by a senior DC, supported her properly. I didn’t see any familiar face from BJP, nor did I see any flag. However, our instructions are to extend full security and respect, considering she is a former CM. If someone seeks help from you, do so by all means. But do not go somewhere unnecessarily and do something that disrupts normal life.”Birju’s elder brother said “they were not seeking justice from Mamata Banerjee”. “She has said whatever she had to say. We demand justice from the local police administration and seek exemplary punishment for those responsible for my brother’s death in custody,” he said.Minister Paul said an attack like this was neither Bengal’s nor BJP’s culture. “Yes, Mamata Banerjee has made many mistakes; there has been oppression for 15 years, women were not respected and there was theft. But that does not mean you will throw mud at her, call her a thief or put a garland of shoes on her! Neither my CM nor the BJP state president supports this. If anyone thinks that doing this in the name of BJP will earn our praise, you are mistaken. Strict action will be taken,” she said.BJP state president Bhattacharya said: “People may raise slogans or show black flags to any neta or minister. But if shoes and stones are hurled at the vehicle of a former CM, it is highly condemnable.” BJP had no distant connection with the attack, he added.Birju was arrested on Friday on allegations of extortion and assault and remanded in Halisahar police custody for five days. Police said he was found lying unwell inside the lock-up early on Saturday and rushed to Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital in Kalyani, where doctors declared him dead.His wife, Jenny, alleged that he was assaulted inside the lock-up, leading to his death. She also claimed that visible injury marks were present on several parts of his arms and legs.A senior officer of Barrackpore Police Commissionerate said a departmental inquiry had been started. “We are awaiting the post mortem report to ascertain the exact cause of death,” he added.
