Mamata slams West Bengal police over corruption, inaction on smuggling
The Hindu
West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee criticizes police for corruption and smuggling, leading to major reshuffle in top brass.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday (November 21, 2024) came down heavily on a section of the State police after Trinamool Congress leaders raised concerns about police inaction in the past week. She claimed that certain sections of officers, workers, and police personnel were taking bribes and were indulging in potato, sand, coal and cement smuggling and tarnishing the good name of the State.
Ms. Banerjee added, “Lower-level officers, workers, and some police officers take bribes in smuggling sand, coal, and cement theft.” She wondered why she and other political leaders have to shoulder the blame for corruption among certain sections of police and office workers.
The Chief Minister slammed the police’s role in failing to control potato smuggling amidst rising market prices.
The grilling of police officers in a public meeting came forth after senior Trinamool Congress leaders like MP Sougato Roy and Kolkata Municipal Corporation Mayor and MLA Firhad Hakim raised concerns over police inaction.
At a public meeting, Mr. Roy said, “Our Mayor has made some observations and I also wonder how 9 mm pistols can be smuggled into the city clandestinely despite supposedly strict police surveillance.”
Amid these concerns, the police force saw a major reshuffle in the top brass. Pranav Kumar, Inspector General of Police, Barrackpore district, was made Additional Commissioner of Police, Kolkata. Murli Dhar, the previous Additional Commissioner of Police, was shifted to Mr. Kumar’s position. Mr. Dhar had served in the Kolkata Police for over a decade.
Four other top officers were shifted to new positions, including Swati Bhangalia, Biswajit Mahato, Subimal Paul, and Surinder Singh.
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