West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday, 4 October 2026, strongly condemned the assault on Calcutta High Court advocate Shamim Ahmed in the Salboni Police Station area of West Midnapore district, calling the incident deeply disturbing and demanding firm action against those responsible. Banerjee, posting on social media platform X, also alleged that Ahmed was pressured to alter his complaint before the intervention of the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court secured his safe return home.

What Happened in Salboni

A group of lawyers — including Shamim Ahmed, a newly elected member of the Bar Council of West Bengal, and colleagues from the Calcutta High Court and Midnapore court — were reportedly targeted multiple times in the Dhadika Bazar area before reaching the Salboni police station. According to the lawyers' accounts, attackers allegedly used sticks, shovels, and bamboo during the assaults. Three male lawyers and two female lawyers from the Calcutta High Court sustained injuries, and the women were allegedly harassed as well.

West Midnapore Police subsequently escorted the lawyers out of the area for their safety, but they were allegedly attacked again near the Salboni police station, with three vehicles vandalised in the process. This amounts to at least three separate incidents of targeted violence against the same group of legal professionals in a single day, according to reports.

Mamata Banerjee's Remarks

Banerjee described the attack on Ahmed as ‘deeply disturbing’ and expressed shock at reports that he was pressured to change his complaint. In her post on X, she said: “The brutal assault on Advocate Samim Ahmed, newly elected Member of the Bar Council of West Bengal, near Salboni PS is deeply disturbing! I am shocked to learn that he was even pressured to alter his complaint. Following the intervention of the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court, Samim returned home safely.”

Banerjee also referenced similar recent incidents, stating that attacks on advocates at Bankshall Court and Baruipur Court were equally unacceptable. “West Bengal cannot permit a culture of intimidation and JUNGLE RAJ to prevail. The rule of law must prevail over political violence. Every advocate, irrespective of political affiliation or ideology, must be able to discharge their professional duties without fear,” she said.

Political Blame and Demands

Banerjee concluded her statement by laying the blame squarely on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). “I strongly condemn such repeated atrocities by hooligans of BJP and urge the Administration to ensure the safety and security of advocates and take firm, impartial action against those responsible,” she said. The BJP has not issued an immediate response to these allegations, according to available reports.

Notably, the incident has drawn attention to a pattern of violence targeting legal professionals in West Bengal, with this being at least the third location — after Bankshall Court and Baruipur Court — to witness such incidents in recent weeks.

Broader Implications for the Legal Community

The assault and the alleged pressure on Ahmed to modify his complaint raise serious concerns about the independence of legal professionals and access to due process in the state. The intervention of the Chief Justice of the Calcutta High Court to facilitate Ahmed’s safe return underscores the gravity with which the judiciary views the situation. Legal fraternity groups are likely to press the state administration for concrete protective measures and a transparent investigation into the incidents at Salboni, Bankshall, and Baruipur.