Tension gripped central Kolkata on Tuesday night after a group of people, accompanied by bulldozers, allegedly targeted a Trinamool Congress (TMC) office near the historic Hogg Market area, triggering panic among traders and forcing shops to shut abruptly.
According to initial reports, the TMC’s New Market union office was the primary target and was completely demolished in the incident. Visuals showing damage and chaos in the area spread quickly, adding to anxiety among local shopkeepers.
Panicked traders downed shutters and fled as the situation escalated in one of Kolkata’s busiest commercial hubs.
Police personnel were rushed to the spot soon after the incident. Patrols have since been intensified in and around the New Market area to bring the situation under control and prevent further escalation.
While the full sequence of events remains unclear, the incident comes amid heightened political tensions following the recent election results in West Bengal.
Reacting sharply, Mahua Moitra shared a video of the incident on X, taking a swipe at the ruling narrative.
“Kolkata’s historic New Market. Bengalis revelling in Parivartan,” she wrote, using the BJP’s poll slogan to underline her criticism.
Senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien also alleged that the demolition was carried out under official watch.
“In central Kolkata, near New Market. With police permission. As part of the victory celebrations, a bulldozer was brought in to demolish meat shops. CAPF standing around,” he said in a post, adding, “The BJP for you. Let the world see these pictures.”
Local residents and some traders, however, disputed these claims, asserting that the structure was illegally built. “It was an illegal construction. The space had earlier been forcibly taken from a shopkeeper and later converted into a union office,” they said.
Our correspondent Anirban tells you more about this story from the spot.
The structure stood adjacent to a meat and fish market inside the complex, but locals maintained that the vandalised site was not a meat shop, rather an unauthorised union office.
Panicked by the incident, traders shut their shops and fled the area. Police were swiftly deployed, and patrols have since been intensified to restore order.
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