Clashes broke out between supporters of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) outside Kolkata airport on Friday night ahead of the arrival of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The TMC alleged that an armed BJP worker had planned to target Banerjee and described the incident as a serious failure of law and order.
"Such is the condition of law and order under Suvendu Adhikari's watch that criminals now roam freely, emboldened enough to carry out brazen attacks with absolute impunity," the party said in a post on X.
The TMC further questioned whether the incident amounted to a "state-sponsored attempt to eliminate a political opponent."
According to reports, tensions escalated after a group of BJP workers gathered near the airport's arrival terminal carrying rotten eggs, allegedly intending to target Banerjee. TMC supporters who had assembled to receive the party leader confronted them, leading to a violent altercation.
Members of both groups allegedly exchanged blows and abuses, triggering panic among passengers and causing traffic congestion in the area.
Banerjee, who arrived at the airport around 9.45 pm under heavy police security, left the premises in a waiting vehicle without interacting with supporters.
A TMC supporter told ANI that party workers had gathered to welcome Banerjee when BJP supporters arrived carrying eggs.
"We requested them not to encourage this kind of political culture, but they responded by saying we had started it," the supporter said.
He further alleged that BJP workers misbehaved with TMC supporters and claimed that some of them were carrying weapons.
"We asked the CRPF to remove them. They took out arms at the airport. How could they bring weapons into such a high-security area in the presence of airport authorities?" he questioned.
