West Bengal Signs MoU with RRU for Police Training and Modernisation

PTI, June 17, 2026, Kolkata: Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday announced a series of measures aimed at modernising the state's police force after his government signed an MoU with Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) at the state secretariat.

The agreement with RRU, which functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs, is expected to facilitate specialised training and capacity-building programmes for personnel of the West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police in emerging areas of law enforcement and internal security.

Following the signing of the MoU, Adhikari said the initiative would help restore professional excellence in the police force through advanced scientific and technological training.

"Police efficiency in Bengal was once regarded very highly and was compared with some of the best forces in the world. However, the previous government failed to utilise that capability and did not provide the modern equipment and support required for effective policing," the Chief Minister said.

He alleged that RRU had first proposed such an agreement with the state government in November 2025, but no decision was taken at the time.

"Unfortunately, the previous government neglected this important proposal. Most states, including Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Haryana, have already entered into similar agreements with the university. This MoU will help both the West Bengal Police and Kolkata Police benefit from advanced training and modern policing practices," Adhikari said.

Recalling the legacy of Kolkata Police, he said: "There was a time when Kolkata Police was compared with Scotland Yard (the headquarters of the London Metropolitan Police) and recognised internationally for its professionalism. The wrong policies of the previous government eroded that prestige."

Adhikari said the training programmes under the MoU would cover subjects such as cybercrime, the dark web, artificial intelligence, forensic science, border intelligence and prevention of human trafficking.