Mamata Banerjee's convoy attacked, shoes and stones thrown, mud smeared on cars

Tensions flared in West Bengal's Halishahar on Saturday after former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's convoy was attacked by protesters while she was on her way to meet the family of party worker Birju Keot, whose death in police custody has become the centre of a political confrontation.

According to reports, demonstrators surrounded Banerjee's vehicle and staged a protest, smearing the car with mud and hurling water bottles, shoes and other footwear at the convoy.

Protesters also raised slogans against the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader, calling her a "thief" and the "queen of dacoits" as the situation turned chaotic.

The protest was triggered by the death of a TMC worker, whose family has alleged that he died after being assaulted in police custody. The family has accused the local police of beating him to death, allegations that have intensified public anger and sparked demonstrations in the area.

Banerjee had travelled to Halishahar to meet the bereaved family amid the growing controversy surrounding the custodial death allegations.

However, before she could reach the residence, protesters blocked her convoy, leading to a brief stand-off.

Police personnel rushed to the spot and intervened to bring



the situation under control. Security officials escorted Banerjee's convoy out of the area to ensure her safety and prevent any further escalation.

Banerjee alleged that her vehicle was attacked while she was on her way to meet the family of TMC worker Birju Keot in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas.

"Large stones were hurled at my car by anti-social elements,right in front of the police. The attack on the vehicle was so severe that if the windows had been open, my head would have been split open," she said.

She claimed the attack was severe enough to have caused fatal injuries had the vehicle's windows been open.

Accusing the police of failing to intervene, Banerjee alleged they were "providing protection to the BJP".

TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee alleged that the attack on the convoy was a "pre-planned attempt to murder". He claimed BJP workers hurled large stones at the former Chief Minister's vehicle as she was on her way to meet the family of Keot.

"Stones were thrown to assault Mamata Banerjee... The stones were thrown to kill her. It is an attempt to murder case. Hundreds of BJP workers were there and police were a silent spectator... Of course there was a direction given by the CM Suvendu Adhikari," he alleged.