Stone Attack on Mamata Banerjee’s Car Sparks Bengal Political Row

Kolkata, August 09, 2026 Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s car was allegedly attacked with bricks and stones in Halisahar, North 24 Parganas, on Sunday while she was travelling to meet the family of a Trinamool Congress worker who allegedly died in police custody. The incident has triggered a fresh political confrontation in the state, with Banerjee accusing the police of failing to protect her and the BJP denying any involvement. Protesters reportedly surrounded her vehicle, smeared mud on it and threw shoes and water bottles while raising “Chor bhagao” slogans. Banerjee later alleged that unidentified anti-social elements threw stones at her vehicle in the presence of police personnel. "Anti-socials from outside threw stones at my car in front of the police. If my car windows were not closed, it could have split my head open. I could have died. I have never faced such an attack. The police did nothing to protect us. They give protection only to the BJP," she said. Lok Sabha MP Kalyan Banerjee and Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen, who were accompanying her, also expressed their anger at the administration. "Chief Minister) Suvendu Adhikari is running the show using the police," the Lok Sabha MP said. The alleged attack took place as Mamata Banerjee was travelling to meet the family of Birju Keot, husband of former Kanchrapara municipality councillor Jenny Sharma. Keot had been arrested on an extortion charge and was sent to five days of police custody by a court last Friday. Sharma has alleged that her husband was tortured and beaten to death inside the lock-up. Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee also criticised the police, alleging that Keot was taken into custody even though his name did not appear in the FIR. "When the State can take a man into custody despite his name not appearing in the FIR - and he does not come out alive - the question is no longer merely about law and order. It is about the rule of law itself," the Trinamool leader said. The police have not yet responded to the allegations concerning Keot’s custodial death. The BJP has condemned the alleged attack on Mamata Banerjee while rejecting allegations of involvement. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said the party was not associated with the incident and urged the police to take action against those responsible. The confrontation comes months after Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee reportedly faced an attack in his constituency following the party’s defeat in the West Bengal elections. With allegations surrounding both the attack on Mamata Banerjee and the reported custodial death of Keot, the episode has further intensified the political and law-and-order debate in West Bengal.