Mamata visits residence of Trinamool worker who died in police custody, faces protests
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee faced protests while visiting the family of a deceased Trinamool Congress worker who died in police custody. Banerjee accused political opponents of orchestrating the attack and criticized the police for failing to provide security.
Why it matters
The incident underscores the volatile political climate in West Bengal following recent election shifts and concerns over custodial deaths.
Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday (August 9, 2026) visited the residence of Trinamool Congress (TMC) worker at Halisahar in North 24 Parganas who was found dead in police custody.
Ms. Banerjee faced protests from locals who raised slogans against her and attacked the vehicle in which she was traveling. The Trinamool Congress chairperson stated that bricks were thrown at her vehicle by Bharatiya Janata Party supporters and blamed the police for the attack. Ms. Banerjee was accompanied by Trinamool Congress MPs Kalyan Banerjee and Dola Sen.
Birju Keot, husband of former Trinamool Congress councillor Jenny Sharma Keot, was arrested by Halisahar police on Friday on allegations including extortion and corruption. He was presented before a Barrackpore sub-divisional court, which remanded him to five days of police custody. On Saturday, Birju Keot was taken to a state-run hospital from police lock-up, where he was pronounced dead.
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