TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee speaks to the media after Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials pulled down an "unauthorised" billboard from the roof of his office in Kolkata on August 27, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Kolkata Police personnel on Thursday (August 27, 2026) were embroiled in a scuffle with senior Trinamool Congress leaders, including party general Abhishek Banerjee and senior MP Derek O’ Brien, as they, along with personnel of Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), forcibly removed a billboard from a building in Kolkata’s Camac Street area, where a party office is located. .A billboard reading ‘All India Trinamool Congress’ was put on the top of a building located at 9 Camac Street, and a large part of the premises serves as the office of Mr. Banerjee. The police and the KMC officials argued that several offices are located in the building and a billboard of a political party cannot be put on it.A large number of policemen, along with some officials of KMC, arrived at the address and tried to enter the building to remove the billboard at about 3.30 p.m. in the afternoon. Mr. Banerjee and other Trinamool leaders tried to stop the police and asked if they had necessary orders to enter the building.For the next one and half hours there was heated exchange between the Trinamool Congress leaders and police and municipal officials. Trinamool Congress supporters raised slogans but the police eventually forced themselves inside and removed the banner. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Derek O’ Brien fell on the stairs, and police and other officials reached the roof to remove the hoarding. Videos shared by the Trinamool Congress on social media pointed out that there was a lot of pushing and shoving between party supporters and the police personnel.“What bill board will I put outside my office, will this be decided by the BJP. There are 400 posters of the BJP on this road. Will the police and KMC remove any of them,” Mr. Banerjee asked.The Trinamool Congress general secretary said that police forcibly entered the building after sunset and did not allow Trinamool Congress supporters to enter the building. He said that the order which the police were showing did not have any stamp or valid signature.“What Kolkata Police did today will go down in history as the DARKEST DAY in Bengal. They attacked staff, they attacked female workers, they assaulted female security guards and did not stop despite repeated requests. Kolkata Police have been reduced to PUPPETS OF @SuvenduWB under @BJP4Bengal ’s MISRULE,” Trinamool Congress posted on social media. The Kolkata Police has registered a case and detained 12 persons in connection with the incident. Published - August 28, 2026 01:49 am IST
