Trinamool worker tortured in custody over signboard dispute, says Abhishek Banerjee
Trinamool Congress leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP-led government of using police force and custodial torture to intimidate his party members. The conflict stems from a dispute over the removal of a political signboard from a building in Kolkata.
Why it matters
This highlights escalating political tensions and allegations of state-sponsored harassment between the ruling BJP and the opposition Trinamool Congress in West Bengal.
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday (September 1, 2026) alleged that a party worker, arrested in connection with a dispute over a signboard, was allegedly tortured in police custody, leaving him with a serious head injury.
“They (BJP government) believe that threats and intimidation can decide the future of democracy. I want to remind them that in a democracy, a ruler never speaks the final word. The people speak,” he said. “If they think they can silence us through false cases and arrests, they are mistaken,” he added.
Mr. Banerjee said the party worker, Tarik, was arrested and “subjected to custodial torture”. “Another 12 or 13 others remain in judicial custody. Many were arrested without prior notice, and there were multiple procedural errors,” he said.
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