Mamata Banerjee's convoy faces protest, shoes thrown, mud smeared on cars

The protest followed the death of Trinamool Congress worker Birju Keot, who died after falling ill in police custody. While police attributed his death to a heart attack, his family alleged custodial torture, triggering political controversy and demands for an independent investigation.Demonstrators surrounded Banerjee's vehicle and staged a protest. (Reporter)Tensions flared in West Bengal's Halishahar on Saturday after former Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief 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 TMC supremo, 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 INTERVENED TO CONTROL THE SITUATIONPolice 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".Reacting to the incident, BJP's West Bengal unit president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the attack and denied any involvement of party workers.He said the BJP did not support stone-pelting, throwing mud or footwear at the former Chief Minister's convoy, adding that such incidents tarnish West Bengal's image. He said those responsible should face action.West Bengal minister Agnimitra Paul also condemned the attack, saying such acts had no place in the BJP's political culture.While criticising Mamata Banerjee's tenure, she said neither the party nor the government supported assaulting, manhandling or throwing mud, ink or footwear at political opponents."We do not endorse this... If anyone is carrying out such acts while claiming to represent the BJP, they are in the wrong," she confirmed.Stressing that Banerjee was both a woman and a senior political leader, Paul said anyone indulging in such behaviour in the BJP's name was "in the wrong" and should not be associated with the party.DEATH OF TMC WORKERThe protest comes in the wake of the death of Birju Keot, a Trinamool Congress worker who died after falling ill while in police custody.Keot had been arrested on charges of corruption and extortion and was shifted to a hospital after his health reportedly deteriorated, where he was declared dead.While police have maintained that he suffered a heart attack, his wife has alleged that he was brutally tortured in custody, triggering demands for an independent investigation.The incident has sparked a political confrontation in West Bengal, with the TMC accusing the police of custodial abuse and seeking accountability, while the BJP has called for a transparent probe into the circumstances surrounding Keot's death.- EndsWith inputs from Dipak Debnath and ANIPublished By: Ritaban MisraPublished On: Aug 9, 2026 16:04 IST