On Thursday, 12 November, the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) deployed a bulldozer outside the house of Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Abhishek Banerjee. The action was taken at his 121, Kalighat Road residence to dismantle a temporary shed and an iron gate that had encroached upon a public footpath. A large contingent of Kolkata Police and central forces was deployed at the site as the operation was carried out.
According to KMC, structures were blocking the footpath and causing inconvenience to local residents. “The shade was blocking the footpath. Local residents and passersby were not able to use the footpath. A bulldozer was used to dismantle it. Cutters were used to remove an iron gate, which was restricting the movement of pedestrians. State minister Dilip Ghosh supported the drive, saying, “Nobody has the authority to block footpaths and roads… This drive has started from the top as leaders have shown the people how to encroach”.
#WATCH | Kolkata, West Bengal | Police and Administration conduct a demolition drive against the illegal encroachment on the footpath outside TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat https://t.co/wSo9Fk80mM
— ANI (@ANI) November 12, 2026
The demolition comes amid heightened political friction in the state. Banerjee had earlier posted a video on social media alleging that police personnel were using official vehicles to conduct surveillance outside his residence. The TMC alleged that the police presence on Wednesday evening was intended to facilitate the removal of the shed. The situation has been tense since 7 November, when a clash allegedly broke out in front of Banerjee’s house between TMC and BJP supporters during his birthday celebrations.
Responding to Thursday’s demolition, Banerjee remained defiant, stating on X: “No number of bulldozers can silence my voice or break my resolve. I will continue my fight against the Bangla Birodhis. I will neither retreat nor budge an inch until my last breath”.
This is not the first time Banerjee’s properties have faced government action. In July, parts of his party office in Amtala were demolished for violating building plans, and in August, police arrested several people in connection with an attack on KMC officials during a drive to remove an unauthorised billboard from his Camac Street office.
