Mamata Banerjee Slaps Party Worker During Protest March Over Baruipur Minor’s Rape-Murder Case

Kolkata, July 2026 : A protest march organised by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over the alleged rape and murder of a minor girl in Baruipur took a dramatic turn on Wednesday when former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was seen slapping a party worker amid chaos and jostling outside her Kalighat residence in Kolkata.

The protest procession, led by the Mamata Banerjee faction of the Trinamool Congress, was held following permission granted by the Calcutta High Court. The march commenced from the Ballygunge outpost and was scheduled to proceed towards Hazra Crossing in south Kolkata. The demonstration was organised to condemn the alleged crime in Baruipur and demand justice for the victim.

Soon after the procession began, the atmosphere turned tense as slogans of “Chor Chor” (thief) echoed near the rally route. Reports indicated that minor clashes broke out between Trinamool Congress supporters and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers. TMC leaders alleged that several of their supporters, including women participants, were assaulted during the unrest, further escalating tensions.

As the situation worsened, Mamata Banerjee stepped out of her Kalighat residence, where hundreds of supporters had gathered. She attempted to restore order and calm the crowd, but the growing commotion appeared to frustrate her. In the middle of the confusion, she was seen slapping one of her party workers in public, an incident that was captured on camera and quickly drew widespread attention.

The episode immediately triggered political reactions. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar criticised the former Chief Minister, claiming that she had become “mentally confused” after losing power. He said her public behaviour reflected an inability to accept the political changes in West Bengal and described the incident as unfortunate.

Addressing supporters after the incident, Mamata Banerjee strongly criticised the police for what she described as a failure to maintain law and order during the protest. While acknowledging that students and youth had every democratic right to hold demonstrations with court permission, she alleged that BJP supporters had entered the protest route and created disturbances.

Banerjee accused the authorities of placing TMC leaders under virtual house arrest and restricting their movement. She alleged that police had confiscated the party’s hand microphones while allowing BJP workers to move freely near the rally. According to her, loud music had been played near her residence since early morning and “hired goons” had been brought to disrupt the demonstration.

She further claimed that several women participants were physically attacked during the procession. Recounting what she witnessed after stepping out of her residence, Banerjee alleged that some women protesters had suffered injuries and were bleeding. She said she had gone outside to protect them and questioned whether such violence reflected the change that the people of West Bengal had expected. Stressing the need for stronger action against crimes against women, she said that incidents of rape and violence should decline rather than increase.

The Trinamool Congress leader also questioned the conduct of the police, asserting that their primary responsibility was to ensure security for those participating in a court-approved protest. She said she was not directly blaming the BJP for the incident but held the police accountable for allowing rival party workers to enter the procession. Banerjee further described the events as a violation of democratic norms and alleged that the developments amounted to contempt of court, calling for accountability over the handling of the protest.