A total of 184 police officers, including those in charge of 173 police stations throughout the state, were transferred by the Election Commission of India (ECI) through an order released on Sunday evening.
The list includes 31 police stations in Calcutta, which is more than one-third of the total police stations under the city police.
Prominent police stations, including Burrabazar, Park Street, New Market, Alipore, Kalighat, Bhowanipore, Jorasanko, Gariahat, Maniktala, Amherst Street and Muchipara under Kolkata Police, changed guard. Some of the important police stations in Bengal, such as Nandigram, Khardah, New Town, Halia, and Kolaghat, also had their inspectors-in-charge shifted.
In the Bengal police jurisdiction, 142 officers and inspectors in charge were transferred, whereas in Kolkata Police, the number was 31.
The city police have 80 police stations.
The list mentions the name of inspector Abhijit Mandal of the North Division of Kolkata Police to be posted as OC Parnasree, amid speculations that the same officer was earlier posted as OC Tala in 2024 when a postgraduate trainee was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Former OC Tala, who was arrested by the CBI and placed under suspension by Kolkata Police, is at present in the North division of Kolkata Police, sources said.
When contacted, Mandal said that he had not seen the order. Commissioner Ajay Nand did not take calls or respond to text messages.
The ECI’s list also mentions the names of 11 officers of Bengal police who were not serving as officers in charge or inspectors in charge of any police station but were transferred.
An officer posted in Durgapur was shifted to Darjeeling, another from Barrackpore to Kalimpong and another from Siliguri to Purlia.
“We need officers who know the place, who know the vulnerable points, the trouble makers, the local politics and the topography of the area like the back of their hand. But with a change in so many police stations, it would be difficult for all officers to acclimate to their police stations so quickly,” said a senior official of the state home department.
A senior officer said several inspectors who have been posted as OCs have never worked at any police station and lack the experience.
Till now, the ECI has transferred 31 IPS officers and several other bureaucrats since the model code of conduct was imposed on March 15. Bengal will vote on April 23 and 29.
Sources said the name of one officer has been posted as the new officer in charge of both Park Street and Maniktala police stations.
According to an ECI order, the officer will join as OC, Maniktala. The name of Park Street OC was unknown till late on Sunday, sources said.