Indian Museum director B. Venugopal, whose tenure was embroiled in controversies for alleged neglect of museum artefacts, has stepped down from the post.

Jayanta Sengupta, secretary and curator, Victoria Memorial Hall, has been appointed director of Indian Museum from June 20, an official order said on Monday.

According to museum sources, Venugopal, who had joined the Indian Museum in October 2013, had requested the appointments committee of the Union Cabinet six months back to repatriate him to his former posting at the National Museum of Natural History in New Delhi.

Sengupta assumed additional charge of the Indian Museum in May 2015 when Venugopal went on leave for about five weeks. He was expected back on June 20 but by then the approval for his repatriation came through and Sengupta's appointment was formalised. Sengupta will be in charge of the museum for six months or till his successor is appointed.

A number of cases of alleged neglect in handling and storing of museum artefacts came to the fore during Venugopal's tenure. Questions were also raised after museum official Sunil Kumar Upadhyay went missing a year ago after speaking up about alleged theft of artefacts from the museum.

Man dead

A car mechanic who was stabbed by a driver in Narkeldanga on Sunday died of his injuries on Monday. Driver Krishna Roy attacked Subodh Kumar Kushwaha when the two had a dispute over repairing a four-wheeler in the area, police said. The police are looking for Roy who has fled the area.