Abhishek Banerjee Midnight Clash sparks political tensions in Bengal as the TMC MP alleges an attack on his Kolkata home, while BJP’s Dilip Ghosh hits back.
Qalam Times News Network
Kolkata, November 7, 2026
A late-night confrontation outside the Kolkata residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary and Diamond Harbour MP Abhishek Banerjee has triggered a fresh political controversy in West Bengal. The incident, which occurred ahead of his 39th birthday, reportedly left at least eight people injured after supporters gathered outside his residence clashed with a group allegedly raising slogans against him.
The Abhishek Banerjee midnight clash has intensified the political confrontation between the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the opposition Trinamool Congress. Banerjee has alleged that his residence was deliberately targeted following days of surveillance, describing the incident as another threat to his personal safety. BJP leader and state minister Dilip Ghosh, however, dismissed the allegations and questioned the claims of an attempt on the MP’s life.
Abhishek Banerjee Stages Overnight Protest, Accuses BJP Supporters of Attack
According to police sources, tension developed outside Banerjee’s residence on Harish Mukherjee Road when two groups came face to face. One group had assembled to celebrate the MP’s birthday, while another reportedly raised slogans against him. The disagreement soon escalated into a physical confrontation, resulting in injuries to several people. Banerjee remained outside his residence and staged a sit-in protest that continued until the early hours of Saturday. Sharing videos of the incident on X, formerly Twitter, he alleged that individuals linked to the BJP had conducted surveillance of his residence for two consecutive days before the confrontation. In his statement, Banerjee claimed that the incident was part of a continuing pattern of intimidation. He alleged that BJP-affiliated individuals had attacked his house around 2 am and questioned the absence of effective preventive action. The TMC MP further claimed that this was the seventh attempt on his life in the preceding six months. Expressing frustration over what he described as the lack of police action and judicial intervention, he alleged that those responsible for political violence were operating without adequate accountability. He also criticised the judiciary in his post, accusing it of remaining silent despite repeated allegations of threats and attacks. Banerjee shared two videos to support his allegations. In one recording, an unidentified individual appeared to strike the gates of his residence with a bamboo stick. The second video showed police personnel pushing away several individuals carrying sticks.
MP Abhishek Banerjee Raises Questions Over Alleged Surveillance
The confrontation came a day after Banerjee raised concerns about suspicious activities around his residence and office. In a separate post on Friday, he alleged that unidentified motorcycle-borne individuals had been observing his office and residence for two days. He claimed that the motorcycle’s registration number had been identified and that the individuals allegedly described themselves as police personnel when questioned. Banerjee sought clarification over who had authorised the alleged surveillance and why an elected Member of Parliament was being monitored.
Tagging Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, the Union Home Ministry and the Kolkata and West Bengal police authorities, he demanded an investigation into the matter.
The allegations have also brought renewed attention to the security arrangements previously provided to the TMC leader.
Withdrawal of Z-Plus Security Becomes a Political Issue
Until 2025, Banerjee’s residence on Kalighat Road and the family home at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street, where former West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee continues to reside, regularly attracted party workers, supporters and political visitors. Banerjee had been enjoying Z-plus security protection, which was subsequently withdrawn after the BJP came to power in West Bengal. The withdrawal has since become a point of political disagreement between the two parties. Several security-related incidents involving the MP have also contributed to concerns raised by his party. On May 26, while travelling to Sonarpur in South 24-Parganas to visit the family of a deceased TMC worker, Banerjee’s convoy reportedly faced stone-pelting and the throwing of footwear and eggs.
Security equipment at his Harish Mukherjee Road residence was also reportedly removed. The equipment included luggage scanners, door-frame metal detectors, scissor barricades and the CCTV camera monitoring system.
In June, a man carrying a firearm was apprehended near the arrival lounge of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport shortly before Banerjee was expected to emerge. The following month, his residence was again reportedly targeted in a stone-pelting incident. Seeking restoration of his previous security arrangements, Banerjee approached the Calcutta High Court on September 29. He requested the restoration of the Z-plus protection that he had received since 2015. The matter remains pending before the court.
Dilip Ghosh Dismisses Attack Allegations
The BJP responded sharply to Banerjee’s allegations, with state minister Dilip Ghosh questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident. Dismissing the suggestion that there had been an organised attempt on the MP’s life, Ghosh remarked that celebrating a politician’s birthday on a public footpath was unusual and suggested that such gatherings could lead to confrontations. He also made a pointed remark about the allegation of an attempt to kill Banerjee, asking who would have the time to carry out such an act. Ghosh further accused the TMC leader of attempting to mislead the public by raising what he described as frivolous allegations.
His comments added to the growing exchange of accusations between the BJP and TMC, with both sides presenting sharply different accounts of the political and security situation surrounding the incident.
Mamata Banerjee Visits Abhishek Banerjee‘s Residence, Warns of Supreme Court Action
Former chief minister Mamata Banerjee visited her nephew’s residence on Harish Mukherjee Road on Saturday afternoon following the confrontation. Speaking about the incident, she alleged that the attack was politically motivated and connected it to the Trinamool Congress’s association with the opposition INDIA bloc. Mamata accused the BJP of bringing disruptive elements to target Abhishek’s residence. She warned that those responsible would have to face public anger and indicated that she was prepared to approach the Supreme Court personally if necessary. She also raised concerns about police deployment during Kali Puja celebrations at her residence, alleging that a large police presence had been used to disrupt the festivities. Her visit and subsequent remarks further escalated the political debate surrounding the security of the TMC leadership.
West Bengal’s Political Rivalry Takes Another Turn
The midnight confrontation outside Abhishek Banerjee’s residence has once again placed political violence, the security of elected representatives and law enforcement under scrutiny in West Bengal. While Banerjee has demanded an investigation into the alleged surveillance and attack, BJP leaders have rejected his interpretation of the incident and questioned the political context of his claims. The controversy has also revived the debate over the withdrawal of his Z-plus security cover, an issue that is already before the Calcutta High Court. The actual circumstances behind the confrontation, the identity of those involved and the allegations of organised surveillance will need to be established through an impartial investigation. For the moment, the incident has added another chapter to the continuing political confrontation between the BJP and the Trinamool Congress, with security and accountability emerging as central issues in the state’s political discourse.
