West Bengal: Bulldozers Raze TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Amtala Office; Security Tightened

Kolkata: High political drama and intense tensions gripped West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district on Saturday, July 18, 2026, after local authorities initiated a major anti-encroachment drive, deploying bulldozers to demolish a closed office linked to Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee.

The action took place in the Amtala area, triggering a massive political showdown between the newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state government and the opposition TMC.

The Demolition Drive

Early Saturday morning, multiple bulldozers escorted by a massive contingent of police personnel and fire tenders arrived at the Amtala office of the Diamond Harbour MP.

According to officials from the South 24 Parganas district administration, the structure was targeted following repeated complaints regarding severe building rule violations and unauthorised construction.

As the heavy machinery began tearing down the front portion of the building, local BJP workers gathered near the site, chanting slogans and celebrating the administrative move as a long-overdue application of the rule of law.

Security Tightened Amid Protests

Large numbers of police forces were deployed to form a multi-layered security cordon around the demolition site to prevent clashes between political factions.

TMC supporters quickly gathered in nearby areas, raising sharp objections and staging demonstrations against the drive.

The party labelled the action as purely vindictive politics orchestrated by the Suvendu Adhikari-led BJP government, which assumed power in West Bengal earlier this year.

Political War of Words

Local BJP leaders fiercely defended the demolition, arguing that the TMC had spent years misusing administrative power to construct illegal party offices on encroached lands.

The Trinamool Congress top leadership condemned the deployment of the "bulldozer model," accusing the state government of deliberately targeting their general secretary and aiming to intimidate opposition voices through selective law enforcement.

As the demolition continues under tight security coverage, Amtala remains on high alert, with police patrolling the streets to keep the fragile peace.

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