Watch: Bengal Politician's Nephew Assaults Referee After Interrupting Football Game

Last Updated:August 16, 2025, 20:07 IST

Raja Khan, nephew of Midnapore Municipality chairman, was arrested for kicking referee Lakshman Mandi during a football match, sparking political tensions between BJP and TMC.

A brawl broke out in a Bengal junior football game. (PC: X)

A video has gone viral, capturing the nephew of the Midnapore civic body chairman interrupting a football match and kicking the referee in the stomach.

The youth involved has been identified as Raja Khan, nephew of Soumen Khan, chairman of Midnapore Municipality in West Midnapore district, West Bengal.

Raja Khan was arrested by the police shortly after the incident.

The sequence of events unfolded as follows: A junior football match was in progress at a local playground in Midnapore town, and one of the teams had the patronage of Raja Khan.

Conflict arose when the referee, Lakshman Mandi, a school teacher and member of the Kharagpur Subdivision Referee Association, disallowed a goal for the team supported by Raja Khan. This led to Raja Khan entering the field, disrupting the match, engaging in a heated argument with the referee, and ultimately kicking him in the stomach.

At the time of the incident, his uncle Soumen Khan was present as a guest.

A political confrontation between the BJP and Congress has erupted over the incident.

The opposition leader in the West Bengal assembly issued a statement, asserting that this reflects the true culture of Trinamool Congress.

“In reality, the culture of Trinamool is to launch vile attacks on referees, whether it is Mamata Banerjee attacking the Election Commission of India, which acts as a referee in the electoral arena, or this petty, insignificant Trinamool member Raja Khan on the field of a local football tournament," his statement read.

Trinamool Congress, however, condemned the incident.

“The matter is very unfortunate. But why should Trinamool Congress be held responsible for the wrongdoing of a local leader’s nephew? We will not listen to tall talks by BJP leaders on the matter," said Trinamool Congress spokesman in the state, Arup Chakraborty.

(With agency Inputs)

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First Published:

August 16, 2025, 20:07 IST

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