Late-night clashes outside Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata residence as party workers celebrate his birthday

Eight people were allegedly injured in back-to-back clashes between two groups outside the residence of Mamata All India Trinamool Congress (MAITC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at Kalighat in south Kolkata between 2 am and 3:30 am on Saturday, police officers probing the overnight incident said.

The clashes allegedly occurred between MAITC workers preparing for Abhishek Banerjee's 39th birthday (November 7) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters, although the police did not name any party.

"The situation is currently under control. A big police contingent has been posted outside Banerjee's home. Several people have been detained," a police officer said around 7 am, requesting anonymity.

The police officer did not confirm allegations that police personnel were also injured during the alleged brickbatting by both parties.

‘Unprovoked attack by BJP’

MAITC supporters alleged that BJP workers carried out an unprovoked attack while they were preparing to celebrate Banerjee's birthday. The BJP workers countered this, saying they were attacked as they were on their way to Kalighat to buy idols of goddess Kali from local potters for Sunday's puja.

BJP supporters allegedly shouted slogans such as "chor" (thief) and "goru chor" (cattle thief) and ransacked cutouts and banners put up to wish Banerjee on his birthday. Banerjee alleged that at least eight people were injured, of whom three suffered serious injuries.

"Planned attacks were carried out at my residence and office by BJP workers. There was a conspiracy to kill me. The police were not spared when they tried to bring the situation under control. I saw an officer being slapped hard by BJP workers. If this is the state of the police in a BJP regime, then common citizens can easily understand how secure they are," Banerjee alleged before the media around 3 am.

He sat on a dharna outside his home till 6:30 am, although the violence ended hours before that, police said.

BJP reacts

Bengal panchayat minister Dilip Ghosh said Banerjee should not have held his birthday celebrations on a pavement outside his home.

"I don't have the details, but I heard that some incident took place when Abhishek Banerjee was celebrating his birthday on a pavement. People usually rent a hall for such events. Like Mamata Banerjee, he, too, has alleged that it was an attempt on his life. People often lose their senses after an electoral defeat," Ghosh told the media during his morning walk.