Kolkata Police summon Trinamool Congress leaders over signboard removal scuffle

The Kolkata Police have summoned Trinamool Congress leaders Derek O’Brien and Abhishek Banerjee to appear at the Shakespeare Sarani police station on Monday. The summons follow a scuffle that occurred on Thursday when police and Kolkata Municipal Corporation officials attempted to remove a party signboard from a building on Camac Street. Three first information reports have been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including charges of unlawful assembly, obstructing and assaulting public servants, and criminal intimidation.

Police officials state that the signboard was hanging dangerously and needed to be removed for safety. They allege that the TMC leaders obstructed officers from performing their duties and that unknown persons assaulted police personnel and snatched a wireless handheld radio. One report further alleges that a woman police officer was attacked with intent to outrage her modesty.

The Trinamool Congress has disputed these claims, alleging that the municipal corporation failed to provide a valid notice before the action. The party claims that officials trespassed into the office and assaulted Banerjee and O’Brien, while also alleging that women security personnel were heckled and had their clothes torn.

Reporting on the event differs by political lean. A center-leaning source focuses on the legal summons of the MP. A left-leaning source provides more extensive detail on the conflicting narratives, highlighting the party's allegations of trespassing and assault by officials alongside the police claims.