Video: Mamata Banerjee panics as man breaches security to touch her feet

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee briefly stepped back in alarm after a man breached her security cordon and rushed towards her during a public padyatra in Jalpaiguri district.

The incident took place on April 16, when Banerjee was leading a foot march as part of her campaign activities ahead of the 2026 West Bengal Assembly Elections.

Visuals from the scene showed a young man who broke through the security perimeter and moving quickly toward the Chief Minister, seemingly attempting to touch her feet, a gesture often associated with respect in India.

Caught off guard by the sudden movement, Banerjee instinctively stepped back, appearing startled for a moment. Her security personnel reacted immediately, intercepting the man and pulling him away before he could get any closer. The swift response ensured that the situation did not escalate further.

Despite the brief disruption, Banerjee resumed her padyatra shortly after, continuing to engage with supporters and carry on with the scheduled campaign walk.

Watch the video here:

Several social media users discussed how such incidents brought out the challenges of maintaining tight security during large public gatherings, especially in high-energy political events like padyatras, where leaders interacted closely with crowds.

While the man’s intent appeared to be non-threatening and rooted in a traditional gesture of reverence, the breach raised concerns about vulnerabilities in crowd control during political campaigns.