The councillor arrested at last night’s heated Tower Hamlets council meeting is still in custody being questioned about alleged threats to kill.

Labour’s Kosru Uddin, 45, became involved in a row with Rania Khan, an independent cabinet member.

The row was in Bengali, said witnesses in the council chamber, and also involved Rania’s mother Lutfa, who is also a councillor.

Rania was then seen leaving in tears, getting into the lift. She said later she was “a bit shaken up” by the confrontation.

Cllr Uddin was then seen rowing furiously with Rania’s mother Lutfa during the closed session of the council after press and public had been excluded.

Lutfa, who attended the meeting in traditional Bengali dress, could be heard shouting inside the council chamber.

Three councillors intervened and are said to have pinned an angry Cllr Uddin to the wall before bundling him out into the corridor, witnessed by most of the council.

One councillor looking on told the Advertiser: “He seemed extremely angry—his eyes appeared wild. I’ve never seen anything like that. It was shocking.”

Security officers then cleared the lobby outside the chamber immediately after the row and ordered an Advertiser journalist down to the ground-floor reception area.

The council later confirmed that police were called. A spokesman said: “We understand they interviewed members of the council. We will be helping police with their enquiries as required.”

Scotland Yard also confirmed that they arrested a 45-year-old man at the Town Hall on suspicion of making threats to kill.

“He is still in custody and we’re still questioning him,” said a Met Police spokesman. “We have up to 48 hours to hold anyone. Even that can be extended, if necessary.”

No charges had been made so far.