Tense scenes outside Abhishek Banerjee's Kolkata home as police move in

Kolkata Police personnel entered Abhishek Banerjee's Harish Mukherjee Road residence and removed security equipment. The visit triggered speculation as it coincided with a KMC notice and the withdrawal of his Z+ cover.

In Short

• Police presence outside the bungalow drew crowds and intense local speculation
• Senior officers stayed inside as reporters tried confirming the purpose
• KMC had issued notices over alleged unauthorised construction at two properties

It was a busy Sunday evening when word from sources reached us, Kolkata Police had arrived at the residence of Trinamool Congress General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee. Within minutes, we rushed to the spot. His home on Harish Mukherjee Road is barely 20 minutes from our Kolkata bureau office.

We reached ‘Shantiniketan’, the four-storey, heavily furnished bungalow at 188A Harish Mukherjee Road, around 3:30 pm. What we saw immediately was unusual. Around six to ten police personnel were entering the premises. Outside, a heavy security cordon had been set up. Civilians were barely being allowed to stand near the gate, a stark contrast to the earlier TMC regime, when the house was among the most heavily guarded in the city under former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Abhishek Banerjee himself had Z+ category security during that period.

By then, a buzz had already built up. My cameraperson, Tapas Bairy, and I were simultaneously doing live hits for India Today, Aaj Tak and Aaj Tak Bangla, trying to confirm whether this was a police raid or something else.

Multiple senior police officials were present inside. But why had they come? That was still unclear. What we did know was that the Kolkata Municipal Corporation had recently served Abhishek Banerjee a notice over alleged unauthorised constructions at this house and another nearby property. Both properties are under the KMC scanner. Corporation sources confirmed that a seven-day notice had been issued to him. That seven-day window expired on Monday, the very day police arrived at the residence of the TMC’s second-in-command.

A crowd soon began to gather, though the street remained under tight police watch. For about 25 minutes, speculation ran high. Some neighbours whispered that the police were there to question Abhishek Banerjee regarding the KMC notice. Others speculated it was linked to allegations by the BJP regarding illegal properties.

Around 20 to 25 minutes later, a few police personnel emerged from the house carrying equipment, what appeared to be a monitor and some electronic devices. That immediately sparked fresh questions among journalists and locals. Was it a hard drive containing CCTV footage? Were CCTV monitors being removed?

Later, Kolkata Police gave their version. According to them, a monitor had been installed at the residence to keep watch on nearby cameras. Since Abhishek Banerjee no longer has Z+ security cover, officers from the Director of Security wing of Kolkata Police were sent to remove the camera equipment and monitor.

But the undercurrent is unmistakable. After the TMC’s electoral setbacks and the change in Bengal’s political climate, a lot has changed for both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee, from KMC notices over alleged illegal construction to the withdrawal of top-tier security.

From 3:30 pm to nearly 5:30 pm, the atmosphere around Abhishek Banerjee’s residence remained extremely tense and sensitive.

- Ends