Kolkata, 08 June (H.S.) : In one of the largest administrative overhauls in recent years, the West Bengal government on Monday effected a major reshuffle in the state police establishment, transferring 179 IPS and West Bengal Police Service (WBPS) officers across various ranks and departments.

According to a notification issued by the Home and Hill Affairs Department, the reshuffle includes 151 IPS officers and covers postings in Kolkata Police, district administrations, and specialised units.

Among the key changes, former Bidhannagar Police Commissioner Murlidhar Sharma has been appointed as Inspector General of Police (IGP), Intelligence Branch, marking a significant posting in the state’s internal security apparatus.

Rajesh Kumar Yadav and Gaurav Sharma have been appointed IGPs in the State Special Task Force (STF), while Kunal Aggarwal has been named Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) in Kolkata Police. Mukesh has been appointed IGP, Armed Police (Kolkata).

In another major posting, Syed Waquar Raza will serve as the new Police Commissioner of Siliguri, while Joy Biswas has been appointed IGP, Railways.

Within Kolkata Police, Surya Pratap Yadav has been appointed Joint Commissioner (Traffic), and Saumya Roy has been made Senior Superintendent of the Enforcement Branch.

Several Deputy Commissioner-level postings have also been revised. Ishani Paul has been appointed DC South-West Division, Sayak Das DC North, Praween Prakash DC Central Division, Shiba Prasad Patra DC Bhangar Division, K U Ganpat DC SSD, Y S Jagannathrao DC Detective Department, and Subimal Paul DC ESD.

At the district level, Chandrashekhar Bardham has been appointed Superintendent of Police, Diamond Harbour Police District, while K Sunny Raj has been named SP of Purulia.

The large-scale reshuffle is being viewed as a significant restructuring of the state’s policing and administrative framework.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh