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ECI Suspends 4 Kolkata Cops Over Security Lapse Near Amit Shah's Convoy

The Election Commission of India has directed the immediate suspension of four Kolkata Police officers over a security incident near Union Home Minister Amit Shah's convoy. The officers include a Deputy Commissioner and other personnel from the Alipore area where the tension occurred. The ECI has demanded a compliance report and initiated departmental proceedings against the suspended officials. The incident has drawn sharp criticism from the Chief Election Commissioner, who questioned the police's preparedness.

Key Points: ECI Suspends 4 Kolkata Police Officers Over Amit Shah Convoy Incident

  • ECI orders immediate suspension
  • Four Kolkata Police officers named
  • Incident near Amit Shah's convoy
  • Disciplinary proceedings initiated
  • Tension during nomination filing
2 min read

Bengal: ECI suspends 4 cops over tension near HM Amit Shah's convoy​

Election Commission suspends 4 Kolkata cops, including a Deputy Commissioner, following security tensions near Home Minister Amit Shah's convoy in West Bengal.

"The direction of the Commission is to be implemented with immediate effect - ECI Communiqué"

Kolkata, April 4

The Election Commission of India on Saturday directed the suspension of four officers of Kolkata Police, including a deputy commissioner ranking officer, in relation to the tension near the convoy of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and West Bengal Assembly LoP Suvendu Adhikari on April 1.

The convoy was approaching the Alipore Survey Building in South Kolkata, where Adhikari was supposed to file his nomination for the Bhabanipur Assembly constituency.​

The four police officers whose suspensions have been directed by the ECI are Deputy Commissioner-II (South) Siddhartha Dutta, officer-in-charge of Alipore Police Station Priyankar Chakraborty, Additional officer-in-charge Chandi Charan Banerjee, and Sergeant of Alipore Saurabh Chatterjee.​

The ECI's secretary, Sujeet Kumar Mishra, on Saturday sent a communiqué to West Bengal Chief Secretary Dushyant Nariala, requesting the suspension of the four police officers and the initiation of departmental disciplinary proceedings against them.​

"The direction of the Commission is to be implemented with immediate effect, and a compliance report in this regard is to be sent by 11.00 a.m. on 05.04.2026. Further, you are requested to furnish a proposal to fill up the resultant vacant post to the Commission urgently," the communique read.​

Earlier on Friday, the Kolkata Police had issued show-cause notices to both Siddhartha Dutta and Deputy Commissioner-II (Reserve Force) Manas Roy in this connection.​

At a recent virtual meeting with the top bureaucrats and police officers of West Bengal earlier this week, the newly-appointed Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand faced the ire of the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in the matter.​

Nand was also questioned by the CEC on why the police were not active in advance to prevent the tension. ​

On the basis of three separate police complaints filed at two police stations in South Kolkata, the police registered two separate First Information Reports (FIRs) in the matter.​

- IANS

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Reader Comments

P
Priyanka N
While security is paramount, one has to wonder about the timing and the political pressure. Was this a genuine lapse or a political move? The police in Bengal are constantly caught in the crossfire between the Centre and the state. Feel bad for the officers sometimes.
A
Aman W
Good step by ECI to assert its authority. Election time demands neutrality from the police force. If senior officers like a Deputy Commissioner are suspended, it shows no one is above the law. Hope this ensures peaceful elections in Bengal 🤞
S
Sarah B
As an observer, I appreciate the ECI's proactive stance. The question by the CEC is valid – why wasn't there advance planning to prevent tension? Policing should be about preventing incidents, not just reacting after they happen.
V
Vikram M
This is becoming a pattern in Bengal every election. Political convoys, tensions, and then police officers face the music. The real culprits who create the ruckus often go scot-free. The system needs to fix accountability at the right level.
K
Kavya N
Respectfully, I think the ECI's action, while necessary, seems a bit harsh as a first step. Show-cause notices and proper investigation should have preceded suspensions. Careers are at stake. Due process is important for morale.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

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