KOLKATA: The fallout from the death of a Trinamool Congress worker in police custody, the confrontation during Mamata Banerjee’s visit to his family and a key court hearing involving TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee are among the developments dominating Kolkata’s political news cycle. The events have brought policing, political tensions and legal proceedings into sharp focus.Custody death triggers administrative actionThe death of 48-year-old Birju Keot after he was in police custody has become a major political and law-and-order issue in West Bengal. The case has triggered allegations of custodial assault and intense political reaction. The investigating officer has been suspended, while the officer-in-charge of the police station has been closed to police lines as the matter comes under scrutiny.The incident has raised questions about what happened inside police custody and whether established safeguards were followed. For a case involving a death in custody, the focus is likely to remain on the investigation, the evidence available and the accountability of officials who were responsible for the detainee.Mamata’s visit turns tenseThe controversy intensified after TMC chief Mamata Banerjee visited the family in Halisahar. Protesters surrounded her SUV and allegedly threw stones, bricks, mud and slippers while raising slogans against her. The confrontation turned what was intended as a condolence visit into another major political flashpoint.The incident is significant because it shows how quickly a local law-and-order case can acquire a wider political dimension. The death of a party worker, allegations concerning police conduct and the reaction to a senior political leader’s visit have combined to make the case one of the most closely watched developments in the state.Abhishek Banerjee hearing adds another layerThe Calcutta high court is also scheduled to hear TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s plea seeking protection in connection with multiple FIRs. The hearing had earlier been deferred to August 11, with the state submission referring to 16 FIRs pending against him.The convergence of the court hearing and the fallout from the custody death means Kolkata’s political news cycle is likely to remain intense. The developments involve different institutions — police, courts, political parties and the administration — but all are feeding into a wider debate over law and order, political confrontation and accountability in West Bengal.
