Abhishek Banerjee attacked in West Bengal amid unrest

A senior opposition leader in West Bengal was attacked by a crowd on Saturday, an incident that has intensified political tensions and exposed internal challenges within his party following a major electoral defeat. Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee was struck with projectiles, including stones and eggs, and faced physical aggression while visiting the family of a supporter in the Sonarpur area of South 24 Parganas district.

Video footage showed the visibly shaken politician being escorted from the scene wearing a police helmet, with his shirt torn. Banerjee, who is the nephew of party leader Mamata Banerjee, accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party of orchestrating what he called a pre-planned attack and alleged a serious lapse in police protection. He stated his intention to bring the incident to the attention of the high court and the governor.

In response, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the violence, stating it has no place in a democracy, while a BJP leader speaking anonymously denied party involvement. Police have arrested five individuals in connection with the incident. Investigative sources cited in reports suggest...