Ratna Debnath, mother of RG Kar victim, gheraoed, booed by TMC while she went on booth inspection
The Statesman | 29 April 2026
Ratna Debnath, mother of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder victim and now a BJP candidate from Panihati, has alleged that she was surrounded and booed by Trinamool Congress workers on polling day while she was inspecting booths, placing her at the centre of a tense political confrontation in the ongoing West Bengal Assembly elections.
Nearly 20 months after losing her daughter in a case that sparked widespread outrage, Debnath entered the political arena, saying her contest is driven by the demand for justice and accountability. Her campaign has drawn attention as it blends personal loss with a broader political message in a fiercely contested election.
Debnath said the situation escalated soon after she stepped out of a polling booth. She noticed an elderly woman struggling to stand and tried to arrange help. Within moments, she alleged, a group of TMC workers gathered around her and blocked her movement.
“I went inside, everything was fine, when I came out, I saw that an elderly woman, who had pain in her leg and could not stand properly, I felt bad and I said to someone who was in front of me, to help her… Within 10 metres, Trinamool goons attacked me and told me that they would not let me go out…”
She added that such incidents demand strict action, warning that removing those involved would not prevent them from returning. She said, “…Chasing them away won’t solve anything; they will come again. Strict action must be taken…”
The Trinamool Congress, however, accused Debnath of visiting multiple booths to influence voters, which triggered protests from its workers. The TMC workers are protesting against the BJP candidate Ratna Debnath’s visit to every booth.
After casting her vote, Debnath raised concerns about the functioning of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), claiming there was a delay when pressing the button.
“I feel there is a problem with the press button. It is taking time to respond. I will inform the officer,” she said, adding that the machine’s sound appeared delayed.
She said she would report the issue to election officials and urged voters to remain alert.
Despite the tensions, Debnath expressed confidence after voting. “We will win; we will get justice. People will vote for us,” she said, appealing to voters to come out in large numbers.
The incident in Panihati highlights the charged ground situation in Bengal, where personal grief and political rivalry have sharply intersected on a crucial day of voting.
Voting for the final phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections is underway in parts of North 24 Parganas, with security deployed across polling stations. Voters began arriving early in the morning.