Kolkata, 15 October (H.S.) : Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajoy Nanda stated on Wednesday that former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was not subjected to any attack, dismissing the Tuesday night incident as a mere altercation. Categorically denying the allegations, Nanda asserted that claims of an assault were entirely untrue and lacked any supporting factual evidence.

The controversy stems from an incident that occurred when the Trinamool Congress leader was attending a Durga Puja inauguration near her Kalighat residence. Members of the Trinamool Congress alleged that a woman, identified as Suhasini Saha, lunged at Banerjee wielding a knife. While the party claimed on Tuesday that the accused was a civic police volunteer, the Police Commissioner confirmed her professional identity on Wednesday but clarified that she had been absent from active duty for the past year. He did, however, note that Saha had previously been deployed on duty at Balaram Basu Ghat, the very site of the incident.

Adding a new dimension to the case, the Police Commissioner stated that the arrested woman's father is a prior acquaintance of the former Chief Minister. The sequence of events was initially detailed by Trinamool Congress MP Dola Sen, who alleged that the woman, who appeared to be intoxicated, rushed toward Banerjee addressing her as 'Pishi' (aunt) and attempted to physically assault her. Sen further claimed that the accused then lay on the road, hurled abuses, and was carrying a knife. Following the incident, Sen filed a formal written complaint at the Kalighat police station, accusing the woman of harassing the former Chief Minister, which led to Saha's immediate arrest from the spot. On Wednesday, the Chief Judicial Magistrate's court in Alipore granted conditional bail to the accused, notably after the police chose not to oppose her bail plea during the hearing.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh