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Kalighat Police OC Suspended Over Gun Post as Kolkata Replaces Station Chief Twice in 24 Hours

Rapid transfers underscore election authorities’ push to avoid controversy at the station covering the chief minister’s neighborhood.

Overview

  • Gautam Das, suspended Saturday after posting a photo in uniform with a rifle captioned “Ready for new assignment,” was removed following a Trinamool Congress complaint to poll officials.
  • Police revoked Chameli Mukhopadhyay’s posting on Sunday and named Balai Bag as officer-in-charge within hours, a change ordered by the commissioner and attributed to Election Commission directions by officials.
  • The post has now seen four officers in about 36 days, reflecting heavy reshuffles during the West Bengal Assembly election in a zone that includes Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Bhabanipur.
  • TMC’s complaint argued the image violated Kolkata Police and central social media rules for on-duty personnel, called the photo intimidating, and asked whether the weapon was officially issued and properly trained for.
  • With vote counting set for Monday, the personnel churn signals tighter oversight of policing near critical counting centers and may shape how residents experience security and enforcement on a politically charged day.