Who is Swapna Barman? Asian Games gold medalist whose house TMC claims was set on fire by ‘BJP goons’

Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Abhishek Banerjee alleged on Saturday that the "goons" of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) set fire to the home of Swapna Barma, "the first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games Gold Medal for the nation."

In an X post addressed to Barman, he wrote, “India FAILED YOU, dear Swapna. @Swapna_Barman96.”

Abhishek Banerjee said, "The first Indian heptathlete to win an Asian Games Gold Medal for the nation, Swapna Barman carried India’s flag with pride on the global stage."

"She later joined the Trinamool Congress with the hope of serving people and was our candidate from Rajganj Assembly Constituency in Jalpaiguri," he added.

"Yesterday [May 15], @BJP4Bengal GOONS SET FIRE TO HER HOME. Let that sink in," Abhishek Banerjee alleged in the post on X.

While sharing a video, Banerjee said, “An athlete who brought glory to the nation is being repaid with violence, intimidation and fear - simply because she chose to stand with the Trinamool Congress.”

"THIS is the grim reality under @BJP4India’s watch. THIS is the 'Parivartan' they promised," he said while slamming the party which recently came to power in West Bengal with a thumping majority.

"The @BJP4India govt must answer. This CANNOT become the new normal. If supporting the Trinamool Congress now means risking your safety, your family and even your home, WHERE ARE WE HEADED, AS A NATION?," Banerjee's social media post read.

He concluded by saying, "If this is how an athlete who brought glory to India is treated for her political choices, the state of democracy should worry EVERY Indian."

As per the report, the affected property was inhabited by a brother of the athlete who, she alleged, was receiving death threats from "unidentified goons" in the aftermath of the May 4 declaration of assembly poll results.

According to ETV Bharat, Barman, while standing outside the police station, said, "At first, I thought someone was joking when they told me about the fire. I never imagined anyone would actually set the house on fire," she said.

"I did not see who did it. But I feel someone very close to me is behind this," she was quoted as saying.

The district police reportedly confirmed the blaze and stated that it was doused by the firefighting personnel. They said they have launched a probe into the incident.

She also won gold in the Heptathlon at the 2017 Asian Athletics Championships. In August 2019, she was honoured with the Arjuna Award.

She joined the TMC on February 27 this year and contested the assembly elections from Rajganj in Jalpaiguri district, but was humbled by BJP's Dinesh Sarkar with a margin of over 21,000 votes, news agency ANI reported.

The Rajbanshi athlete is also a former employee of the North Frontier Railway in the Alipurduar division.

She was dismissed from service for flouting government service rules, which prohibit employees from political involvement, after it was found that she joined the TMC, without officially resigning first.