'No substance or truth': Kolkata Police Commissioner rejects claim of knife attack on Mamata Banerjee

Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Kumar Nand on Wednesday rejected allegations that a woman tried to attack former Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee with a knife outside her Kalighat residence and that the complaint had “no substance or truth”.

The woman, a civic volunteer who had allegedly been absent from duty for a year, was arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred on Tuesday.

"This is not an attack. She went there to meet her, but it appeared otherwise to the supporters," the police commissioner told PTI Videos.

The woman knew Banerjee, and even her father knew the former chief minister, Nand said.

"The woman has been arrested. Police personnel present at the spot apprehended her, and the entire matter was understood thereafter. There is no substance or truth in the complaint," he added.

A complaint was lodged by Mamata AITC MP Dola Sen, alleging that the woman attempted to attack Banerjee with a knife when she was on her way to inaugurate the Durga Puja at Milan Sangha, near her Kalighat residence, on Tuesday evening.

The complaint alleged that the woman approached Banerjee in an aggressive manner and raised concerns over the security arrangements for the former CM, a Z-plus category protectee.