Assault on road, CID at door: Abhishek Banerjee faces twin blows

KOLKATA: Former Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's nephew and Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee faced a bruising day of political turbulence Saturday, coming under attack from protesters in Sonarpur on Kolkata's southern edge and receiving a CID summons in a fake-signature probe as pressure mounted on him after TMC's electoral defeat.

Abhishek Banerjee, 38, was chased, abused and assaulted by a crowd while trying to reach the home of a TMC worker killed in post-poll violence in Sonarpur. Protesters shouted "chor, chor", hurled eggs, stones and slippers, tore his shirt, punched and slapped him, and broke his spectacles during a 10-minute attack.

Forced to wear a helmet for protection, Banerjee was escorted by party workers through a 600m muddy stretch to reach Sanju Karmakar's house. He remained inside for more than an hour as protesters camped outside. Security forces later escorted him out.

Banerjee was admitted to a hospital in south Kolkata with bruises and chest injuries, but shifted to his home late at night "as hospital authorities said they are under threat", Mamata Banerjee said, while announcing she and Trinamool workers will hold street protests Sunday.

"It was a planned attack by BJP workers. Everyone knew I was coming. ," Abhishek Banerjee said.

State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya condemned the violence but said public anger against TMC had been building for years.

Hours earlier, Bengal CID served Banerjee a notice directing him to appear at its headquarters Monday in connection with a fake-signature controversy involving a TMC resolution proposing Sovandeb Chattopadhyay's name as leader of opposition in assembly.

Accepting the notice, Banerjee said he would consult his legal team. He called the probe "political vendetta and abuse of power".