Stones hurled at Abhishek Banerjee’s home; BJP says he is trying to stay relevant

4 min readKolkataJul 1, 2026 01:56 PM IST

The CCTV footage, which Banerjee claimed captured the incident from early Tuesday, has triggered a fresh war of words between the TMC and the ruling BJP. Express Photo

Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee Wednesday shared CCTV footage on his social media account showing a man on a motorcycle allegedly throwing stones at the gate of his house in Kolkata. Banerjee said the person seen in the footage smashed a window pane on the first floor of the building using a large stone.

The CCTV footage, which Banerjee claimed captured the incident from early Tuesday, has triggered a fresh war of words between the TMC and the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in West Bengal.

The video shows the helmeted rider, wearing a blue T-shirt, stopping his bike, picking up a stone, and hurling it toward the building, then repeating the act a second time.

The police have yet to file a case in connection with the matter.

‘Terrifying reality of Bengal’

Sharing the footage on X, Banerjee said the incident did not “merely” reflect a collapse of law and order, but also the “complete normalization of violence under BJP’s goonda raj.” “Where was the police? Under whose instructions did this miscreant carry out such a brazen attack and walk away with complete impunity?” he asked.

“This is the terrifying reality of Bengal today: A regime that has normalised violence, empowered hooligans and created an atmosphere where those indulging in criminal acts operate with absolute confidence because they believe the State will protect them.”

The Diamond Harbour MP also took a swipe at the newly proposed West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026, asking if it will be applied to BJP-backed criminals as well.

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The Bill proposes preventive detention for up to 12 months without trial and expands the definition of anti-social activity to include a wide range of offences.

Reacting to the development, the BJP’s Diamond Harbour MLA Dipak Kumar Haldar dismissed the allegations. “I haven’t seen the video in detail, but I would still like to point out that this is a desperate attempt by him (Abhishek Banerjee) to stay relevant. If anything, he is trying to create pressure to secure administrative help, such as enhanced security,” Haldar told The Indian Express.

Calcutta High Court order

This comes at a time when the Calcutta High Court has intervened in the ongoing political violence targeting Opposition leaders in the state.

Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding a series of planned assaults, a Division Bench, comprising acting Chief Justice Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee, directed the West Bengal Government to file a comprehensive report and an affidavit detailing every incident of stone and egg-throwing targeting TMC leaders since the 2026 Assembly election results.

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The court observed that such actions have become a social evil and directed the police to frame strict guidelines to curb the menace, emphasising that “human rights” must be ensured for everyone.

Not the first attack

From being cornered and assaulted by an egg-hurling mob to brazen, daylight vandalism at his Kolkata house, Banerjee has been targeted on the streets a number of times after the West Bengal election results were announced.

On May 30, Abhishek Banerjee was attacked by a mob in South 24 Parganas’s Sonarpur while visiting families affected by post-poll violence. The incident sparked a massive political confrontation, leading to multiple arrests and escalating tensions in West Bengal.

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Sweety Kumari is a seasoned journalist reporting from West Bengal for The Indian Express. With over a decade of experience in the media industry and eight years specifically with The Indian Express, she demonstrates considerable Expertise and Authority across a diverse range of critical beats.

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Current Role: Journalist, The Indian Express, reporting from West Bengal.

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Abhishek Banerjee

Kolkata Police

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West Bengal BJP