Watch: Derek O’Brien falls down staircase amid clash at TMC office

Derek O'Brien, an MP from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), experienced a fall down a staircase during a heated altercation at the party's office in Kolkata on Thursday. The MP alleged that over 150 police personnel had "illegally trespassed" into the building. The incident unfolded when the Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) arrived with an illegal notice backed by the Kolkata police at around 3:30 pm.

However, the notice lacked a signature and any relevant details. Despite attempts to communicate their concerns to the authorities for over an hour, the police persisted and forcefully entered the building, pushing and shoving O'Brien on the staircase. The MP, who was joined by TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee, claimed that the police action was linked to the party's annual students' rally scheduled for the following day.

O'Brien also accused the police of "illegally" taking 10 to 15 TMC workers from the premises. The confrontation occurred after KMC personnel, accompanied by Kolkata Police, removed a signboard featuring the 'All India Trinamool Congress' from a building on Camac Street housing TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee's office. Banerjee criticized the administration on social media, alleging that democratic norms were being eroded in the state.

He argued that such actions could only be conducted after a court order and that the structure could only be removed if the affected party had been heard by a court. A KMC team was initially halted by Banerjee and his supporters, who questioned the validity of the order. However, they later returned with a fresh order and a larger police contingent, which entered the building and proceeded to remove the hoarding from the roof, according to PTI.

Banerjee also pointed out that several billboards belonging to the BJP were left unattended on Camac Street, questioning why the KMC and police did not take similar action against them.