West Bengal has transferred 23 police officers in a major reshuffle that changes senior positions in Kolkata Police, the city traffic department, the Intelligence Branch and several districts in North Bengal, according to a transfer notification reported by Sangbad Pratidin – Kolkata. The order was issued ahead of the municipal polls and includes appointments affecting Kolkata’s traffic management and security administration.
The reshuffle changes the post of Kolkata Police’s additional commissioner. Devendra Prakash Singh, who held the position, has been appointed Inspector General of the Intelligence Branch for North Bengal. Sudhir Kumar Neelakantam, who was serving as Inspector General of the Special Task Force, has been moved to Kolkata Police as an additional commissioner.
The city’s security and traffic leadership have also been altered. Sukhendu Hira, a 2009-batch Indian Police Service officer who was serving as Deputy Inspector General of Security in the state police, has been appointed Joint Commissioner of Police (Security) in Kolkata. IPS officer Bholanath Pandey has been named the new Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), moving from his previous role as Deputy Inspector General in the Intelligence Branch.
Surya Pratap Yadav, who was serving as Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic), has been appointed Deputy Inspector General, Intelligence Branch, according to the report. The changes place new officers in charge of two functions that have a direct bearing on the operation of the city: traffic regulation and security coordination.
The notification also includes a change in the Barakpur Police Commissionerate, where Kuntal Bandyopadhyay has been appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police. The reshuffle is not limited to Kolkata or southern West Bengal, with several postings announced across North Bengal as well.
Kaustavdipta Acharya, Additional Superintendent of Police in Darjeeling, has been transferred to the Additional Superintendent of Police post at Jaigaon in Alipurduar. Salima Lama has been appointed Additional Superintendent of Police at the Alipurduar headquarters, while Purnima Sherpa has been named the new Additional Superintendent of Police in Kalimpong.
Kunal Barnabas, who was serving as Additional Superintendent of Police in Kalimpong, has been appointed Additional Superintendent of Police in Malda. The order also covers West Bengal Police Service officers, alongside the IPS transfers, according to the report.
The changes come as urban police administrations prepare to manage routine public safety, traffic movement and security responsibilities during a period linked by the report to the forthcoming municipal polls. The notification’s immediate operational effect will include new officers taking charge of Kolkata’s traffic, security and additional commissioner-level responsibilities, as well as the designated district postings across North Bengal.
