The incident occurred on Tuesday evening, October 13, when Banerjee was attending a Durga Puja inauguration in her neighbourhood. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Dola Sen subsequently lodged a complaint alleging that the woman behaved aggressively, attempted to approach Banerjee and threatened her safety.
Police acknowledged an altercation involving the woman but did not substantiate allegations of an attempted knife attack. Officers are examining the circumstances and reviewing available video footage to establish what happened.
The police identified the detained woman as Anusua Saha, aged 38, while Sen’s complaint named her as Tannishtha Saha. The discrepancy between the identities given by investigators and party representatives remained unresolved publicly.
Sen alleged that the woman approached Banerjee around 6 pm near the Milan Sangha Durga Puja pandal. The complaint described her as a civic volunteer and claimed she appeared intoxicated, used abusive language and attempted to breach the security arrangements surrounding the former chief minister.
The allegations included a claim that the woman possessed a knife and attempted to approach Banerjee violently. Party workers also alleged that Banerjee’s saree was pulled during the confrontation, although police have not independently confirmed that account.
Sen stated that the woman claimed to be Banerjee’s niece while attempting to enter the security cordon. When prevented from approaching the leader, she allegedly moved towards another entrance and subsequently lay on the road, shouting abuses.
Trinamool workers intervened and handed the woman over to police. Banerjee was escorted away by supporters who formed a protective cordon around her. No injuries were reported.
The complaint has raised questions about security arrangements for Banerjee, who continues to receive Z-plus protection despite no longer holding the chief minister’s office. Party representatives demanded an investigation into how an unidentified person allegedly approached her during a public engagement.
Sen submitted photographic and video material to support the allegations. Investigators are expected to examine the recordings alongside statements from witnesses and personnel responsible for security at the location.
Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh alleged that the incident appeared to have been planned. He claimed the woman fell before Banerjee, shouted abuses and attempted to strike her foot while carrying a knife.
His assertion of premeditation has not been established by investigators. Police have not publicly identified a motive or confirmed that the detained woman intended to cause physical harm.
Trinamool Rajya Sabha member Saket Gokhale criticised the West Bengal administration over the incident, questioning whether adequate protection had been provided to the former chief minister. Party representatives also suggested that the possibility of a political conspiracy should be investigated.
Those allegations remain political claims rather than findings supported by publicly disclosed police evidence. No connection between the detained woman and any political organisation has been established.
The incident occurred amid tensions between Banerjee’s political faction and the state’s governing establishment following the change of administration in West Bengal. The disagreement over security arrangements has added another dispute to relations between the rival political camps.
The controversy also centres on whether the woman’s alleged possession of a knife constituted a genuine threat or whether the confrontation was primarily a disturbance involving an individual attempting to approach a protected political leader.
Police have confirmed that the woman was taken into custody for questioning, but their initial description did not establish the presence of a weapon. That distinction remains significant because the party’s complaint alleges an attempted armed assault.
A formal complaint does not itself establish criminal responsibility. Investigators must determine whether the available evidence supports allegations of assault, intimidation or other offences arising from the confrontation.
The timing of the encounter also differs slightly between accounts, with descriptions placing Banerjee either on her way to the pandal or returning from the inauguration. Both accounts locate the disturbance in the immediate vicinity of her Kalighat residence.
The Milan Sangha celebration was among the neighbourhood Durga Puja events Banerjee was attending. The confrontation drew party workers and security personnel into the street, where the woman was restrained before police assumed custody.
