TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh's car attacked twice in 18 hours in Kolkata
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLA Kunal Ghosh's car was attacked for the second time in under 18 hours on Sunday, 27 September, this time in his Assembly constituency Beleghata, Kolkata. The legislator alleged that a group of individuals followed him from outside his residence armed with revolvers and smashed his car's glass with a hammer — prompting him to file a complaint at Narkeldanga police station and claim there had been an attempt on his life.
What Happened on Sunday
The incident unfolded in the morning as Ghosh was leaving home to attend a programme in Beleghata. He alleged that a bike gang surrounded his vehicle, smashing the glass. In his words: 'I have been attacked again. I was entering a function in Beleghata. The bike gang surrounded my car and smashed it.'
Ghosh went further, expressing fear for his life: 'All this can be seen in Hindi and South Indian movies. They can kill me any day. They will take pictures of my bullet-riddled body.' He directly accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), stating, 'The BJP will kill me. But my voice cannot be silenced.'
Saturday's Attack: The First Incident
The Sunday assault was the second such incident within a day. On Saturday, Ghosh's vehicle was stopped and vandalised allegedly by BJP supporters in Uttarpara, while he was en route to a meeting addressed by former Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in Serampore, Hooghly district. Ghosh alleged that this was a deliberate attempt to prevent him from attending the event.
BJP Denies Involvement
The BJP swiftly denied any role in the attacks. Party spokesperson Debjit Sarkar said, 'An MLA cannot be attacked in this way. Why would the BJP do all this? His party people are doing all this.' The party did not elaborate further on its counter-allegation against TMC members.
Abhishek Banerjee Seeks Governor's Intervention
TMC MP and Diamond Harbour parliamentarian Abhishek Banerjee strongly condemned the attack in a post on X, calling it part of a pattern of targeted intimidation. He wrote: 'I strongly condemn the attack on Kunal Ghosh, MLA from Beliaghata. This is the second time in less than 18 hours that he has been attacked. Armed goons have targeted and harassed an elected representative, allegedly because he has refused to change sides.'
Banerjee appealed to West Bengal Governor R. N. Ravi to intervene immediately, urging him to speak directly with the Director General of West Bengal Police and the Commissioner of Police, Kolkata. He demanded that every perpetrator be identified and brought to justice, and questioned the BJP: 'If it believes it has won West Bengal through the mandate of the people, why resort to intimidation and such tactics against those who refuse to change sides?'
This comes amid an already charged political atmosphere in West Bengal, where clashes between TMC and BJP workers have been a recurring feature in recent years. The targeting of an elected legislator in his own constituency marks a significant escalation, and the demand for gubernatorial intervention signals that the ruling party views the law-and-order machinery as insufficient or compromised. How Governor Ravi and the state police respond will be closely watched in the coming days.