Kolkata, 03 May (H.S.): The officer-in-charge (OC) of Kalighat police station in Kolkata has been changed again, with Balai Bag appointed to the post within 24 hours of a previous reshuffle, officials said on Sunday.

Bag, who was serving as additional OC at Polerhat police station under the Bhangar division of Kolkata Police, has now been posted as the OC of Kalighat police station in the South Division. The order was issued by Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand.

On Saturday, Gautam Das was removed from the post and Chameli Mukhopadhyay was appointed as the new OC. However, the directive was withdrawn within hours, leading to Bag’s appointment.

This is the fourth change in the OC post at Kalighat police station in the last 36 days. The reshuffles began after the announcement of the Assembly elections, when the Election Commission of India ordered several transfers in the state police.

On March 29, Utpal Ghosh from the detective department was appointed as OC, but he was removed within a month. Gautam Das from the Special Branch was then posted on April 25, only to be suspended on May 2. Mukhopadhyay, who was serving as OC of Ultadanga women’s police station, was briefly given charge before the latest change.

Sources said Das faced action following a controversy over a social media post, in which he was allegedly seen in uniform holding a modern firearm. The image, shared by the Trinamool Congress, was termed “objectionable,” and the party had written to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, and the Kolkata Police Commissioner seeking action.

Though no official reason has been cited for Das’s suspension, sources indicated that the “gun controversy” led to the move.

Polling for all 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal was held on April 23 and 29, with counting scheduled for May 4. Kalighat police station falls under the area where Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee resides, and the repeated reshuffles ahead of counting have drawn attention.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey