Abhishek Banerjee says armed individuals at airport posed security threat; Trinamool claims ‘murder bid’

Kolkata 

Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday (June 20, 2026) claimed that he faced a security threat at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport on Friday (June 19, 2026) night, saying in a social media post that armed individuals “were apprehended, leading to serious questions about security”. 

Top Trinamool leadership has condemned the incident. Senior TMC leader and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’Brien asked if this was an attempt to murder. MP Sagarika Ghose asked the Police to take immediate action against the accused and questioned the workings of the new Bharatiya Janta Party government in the State. 

Late on Friday (June 19, 2026) night, when Mr. Banerjee was supposed to arrive at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport from Delhi, a commotion broke out as TMC and BJP supporters clashed inside the airport premises, near the exit area.

“A @BJP4Bengal goon ARMED WITH WEAPONS possibly planned to MURDER our Hon’ble National General Secretary Shri @abhishekaitc! Such is the condition of law & order under @SuvenduWB‘s watch that criminals now roam freely, emboldened enough to carry out brazen attacks with absolute impunity,” the Trinamool official handle wrote on their social media and shared a video of the alleged perpetrators. 

The Hindu has not individually verified the viral video. In the widely circulated video, a man in a yellow kurta and a black wrap cloth can be seen trying to hide a gun under a cloth. However, some protestors and TMC supporters are seen nabbing and dragging him away. 

Meanwhile, TMC supporters who came to the airport to greet and meet Mr. Banerjee also alleged that women supporters were manhandled and other supporters were heckled.

The Trinamool leaders have repeatedly said after the May 4 loss that there have been increased attack on their leaders since they went out of power. However, the BJP leadership has denied any direct association with the attacks. 

The egging of TMC leaders has been on the rise in West Bengal, including Mr. Banerjee, MLA Kunal Ghosh, former Ministers, Councillors, and many others have come under a rain of eggs from angry mobs. 

Mr. Banerjee, the second-in-command at the Trinamool, was one of the first leaders to face physical attack within one month of the party going out of power in the State after 15 years.