Major Reshuffle in Kolkata Police Following Junior Doctors’ Protest

Baby Chakraborty, KalimNews, 17 September 2024, Kolkata :  In a significant shake-up within the Kolkata Police, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government has implemented a series of high-profile transfers following a crucial meeting with junior doctors protesting over the mishandling of the RG Kar Medical College case. The reshuffle was announced on Monday, with several senior officers, including Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal and Deputy Commissioner (North) Abhishek Gupta, being removed from their posts.

Manoj Verma, a 1998 batch IPS officer, has been appointed as the new Commissioner of Kolkata Police, replacing Vineet Goyal. Verma, who previously served as the Additional Director General (ADG) of Law and Order for the West Bengal Police, is set to begin his tenure immediately. Known for his experience in handling sensitive law and order situations in Jangalmahal, Darjeeling, and Barrackpore, Verma is expected to bring stability to the city’s police force amid rising public dissatisfaction.

Outgoing Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal has been reassigned as ADG of the Special Task Force (STF), a critical division that handles counter-terrorism and organized crime in the state. The reshuffle follows growing criticism of the police’s handling of the case involving the rape and murder of a young doctor at RG Kar Medical College, which has sparked widespread protests and led to demands for accountability from junior doctors and civil society.

In addition to Goyal’s reassignment, several other senior officers have been transferred. Deepak Sarkar has replaced Abhishek Gupta as Deputy Commissioner (North) of Kolkata Police. Gupta, who faced criticism for his role in the investigation, has been moved to the Eastern Frontier Rifles’ Second Battalion as Commanding Officer (CO).

Another notable change involves IPS officer Gnanwant Singh, who has been appointed as the new ADG of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) for the state police, replacing Javed Shamim. Shamim, in turn, will take over Verma's former role as ADG Law and Order. These transfers reflect the government’s attempt to restructure key law enforcement positions in response to the mounting unrest and demands for justice.

The reshuffle comes in the wake of intense public pressure following the protests by junior doctors, who were outraged by what they described as a failure by the police and the state administration to take swift action in the RG Kar case. The doctors had made the removal of top police officials one of their key demands during negotiations with the government.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who personally intervened in the situation, made the decision to remove Goyal and Gupta after weeks of protests that put her administration under significant scrutiny. Junior doctors, along with civil society groups, had accused the police of negligence in handling the case and sought a complete overhaul of those in charge.

 

The reshuffle extends beyond the Kolkata Police, with other critical positions also seeing changes. IPS officer Manish Joshi, who served as ADC to the Governor, has been reassigned as Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) of the Bidhannagar Division in the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate. In his place, IPS officer Shanti Das has been appointed as the new ADC to the Governor. Das previously served as the Additional Superintendent of Police at the State Human Rights Commission.

 

The reshuffle is being seen as a strategic move by the state government to address growing unrest and restore public confidence in the police force. Manoj Verma’s appointment is expected to signal a fresh approach in managing Kolkata’s law and order challenges, especially in the aftermath of the RG Kar Medical College scandal. With his track record of handling crises in sensitive regions like Jangalmahal and Darjeeling, Verma is anticipated to bring much-needed reforms to the force.

For now, the public and the medical community are watching closely to see how the new leadership in the Kolkata Police handles the ongoing investigations and whether the demands for justice in the RG Kar case will be met in a timely and transparent manner.