Mamata Banerjee replaces Kolkata police chief to make peace with junior doctors on ceasework over hospital rape-murder

Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government replaced Kolkata’s police commissioner Vineet Goyal on Tuesday to meet the demands of the junior doctors of West Bengal, who are on a casework over the rape and murder of a trainee medic at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last month.

Hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced to remove Goyal bowing to the demands of protesting junior doctors, the state government appointed Manoj Kumar Verma as the new Kolkata police chief.

According to a notification released by the government, Vineet Goyal has been appointed as the ADG of Special Task Force (STF).

The new Kolkata CP Manoj Kumar Verma is presently serving as the ADG (Law and Order) of West Bengal Police.

The government has also transferred some other senior IPS officers.

DC (North Division) of Kolkata Police Abhishek Gupta, who was accused of offering money to the RG Kar rape-murder victim’s family, has been transferred to the post of CO of EFR 2nd Battalion.

Gupta has been replaced by DC (East), Siliguri PC, Dipak Sarkar.

Meanwhile in other rejigs not connected to the ongoing protest, Gyanwant Singh, the Director of Economic Offences, has been appointed as the ADG & IGP of West Bengal Police’s Intelligence Branch (IB), while the present ADG & IGP of IB, Jawed Shamim, has been transferred to the post of ADG (Law and Order) of WBP.
Another IPS officer, ADG & IGP of STF Tripurari Atharv has been appointed as the Director of Economic Offences.

After a five-hour-long meeting with the protesting junior doctors to end the ongoing impasse and a 38-day-long cease-work following the gruesome crime, Mamata Banerjee Monday late night announced to remove the top policemen along with two other health officials, succumbing to the demands of the protesters and in the face of a spiralling people’s movement.

Speaking to reporters outside her Kalighat residence, Banerjee said last night: “Since they are unhappy with the police, we have agreed to remove Police Commissioner Vineet Goyal. He will be entrusted with the role of his choice as he himself wants to recuse himself from this post. He will step down at 4 PM on Tuesday and the new CP will be announced.”

“The DC North will be removed as well,” she said, noting that this was one of their demands as well.