A woman was detained after allegedly reaching Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kolkata’s Kalighat area with a knife and attempting to approach the Trinamool Congress leader as she left for a Durga Puja inauguration, according to a report by Sangbad Pratidin – Kolkata. The incident has raised fresh questions about Mamata Banerjee’s security arrangements outside her home.
The woman was intercepted by Trinamool Congress workers and leaders who were waiting outside the residence on Tuesday evening, the report said. She was later handed over to personnel from Kalighat police station. A written complaint was also submitted to the police by the Kalighat Trinamool Congress unit.
According to the report, the woman allegedly introduced herself as Banerjee’s niece and reached the entrance of the residence. When Banerjee came out of the house, she allegedly moved towards the leader and pulled at her sari. People present at the spot then restrained her and brought her to the ground, preventing what the report described as a larger attack.
A knife was reportedly found in the woman’s possession. The report said her identity had not been established by the time of publication, while investigators were attempting to determine who she was and how she reached the area with the weapon. The report also attributed claims to preliminary information that she was a civic volunteer and was allegedly under the influence of drugs. These claims had not been independently established in the supplied report.
Banerjee had returned to her Kalighat residence after completing a programme in Delhi, according to the report. She subsequently attended the inauguration of a Durga Puja organised by Kalighat Milan Sangha. The incident allegedly took place as she was leaving her residence for the event.
The report said the woman was detained rather than formally identified or arrested at the time of publication. It did not provide details of charges, a police statement, or the outcome of questioning. The circumstances in which the alleged weapon entered the area, and whether the woman intended to harm Banerjee, remained under investigation.
The episode has brought attention to the security arrangements around the private residence of a prominent political leader. The report noted that Banerjee previously had Z-plus security. Following her defeat in the Assembly election, she is reported to receive the level of protection prescribed for a former chief minister under protocol. Trinamool Congress leader Dola Sen subsequently questioned the adequacy of Banerjee’s security, according to the report.
The immediate official next step is the police investigation into the detained woman’s identity, the alleged possession of the knife, and the circumstances of her access to the residence. Further details are expected from Kalighat police after questioning and examination of the complaint.
