Mamata Banerjee, former Chief Minister of West Bengal, India, was allegedly targeted in a knife attack outside her residence on Tuesday evening while she was on her way back from a Durga Puja pandal inauguration.
Former Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale, in a social media post, claimed that Mamata Banerjee was allegedly targeted by an individual who was under the influence of drugs near her residence.
Mamata, along with her party’s Rajya Sabha member Dola Sen, were going to inaugurate a Durga Puja pandal nearby in the evening, when a woman allegedly hurled abuse at her even after calling her ‘pisi’ (aunt).
Sen later lodged a complaint with the police station alleging that the assailant woman, Tannistha Saha, “known as a civic volunteer and a drug addict”, had come “with a violent mood” and attacked the former chief minister with a knife. Saha also claimed to be the former chief minister’s niece, Sen alleged in an email to the Officer-in-Charge of the Kalighat Police Station.
“She was hurling abusive language and, in an intoxicated manner, tried to violently approach Mamata Banerjee,” alleged the Rajya Sabha member. “It is concerning that someone like the attacker could approach in the gates of the residence of a Z plus category security protectee raising questions in the larger conspiracy.” The police later detained Saha and started an investigation into the allegation against her.