In a major shuffle in the IPS cadres, the West Bengal government appointed Additional Director of Police (Law and Order) Anuj Sharma as Kolkata police commissioner on Tuesday. His predecessor Rajeev Kumar will take charge as ADG and IGP, Criminal Investigation Department (CID). Advertising In his first interaction with the media as commissioner of police, Sharma assured safety for everyone in the city, including Kashmiris. “Kashmiris are very safe in the city. We have identified pockets where they are staying. We have interacted with them and ensured their safety and security,” Sharma told reporters at Lalbazar. When asked about his priorities in the new role, he said, “Kolkata has always been a safe city, still women’s safety will be my focus apart from traffic and community policing”. Sharma, a 1991 batch IPS officer, was promoted from IG (law and order) to the rank of ADG in 2015. Prior to that he was IG North Bengal in 2012 and played a key role in maintaining law and order during the Gorkha unrest in Darjeeling. Kumar who was due for transfer ahead of the Lok Sabha elections was moved out following an EC directive. Kumar recently faced a marathon questioning by the CBI in Shillong after the Supreme Court directed him to appear before the agency and cooperate in the investigation of cases related to chit fund scams. The court chose Shillong as the neutral meeting place “to avoid all unnecessary controversy” and made it clear that Kumar would not be arrested. The Home Department also announced a major reshuffle through a notification on Tuesday. Siddhi Nath Gupta who was ADG Intelligence Bureau will replace Anuj Sharma as ADG and IGP (law and order). Jayanta Kumar Basu Special CP II will take charge as director, Directorate of Economic Offences in the rank of ADG. Sanjay Singh, ADG and IGP (CID), will take charge of South Bengal in the same rank. Advertising Niraj Kumar Singh, ADG and IGP South Bengal, has been transferred to Intelligence Bureau. K Jayaraman, Additional CP IV will be new IGP (Mod and Co-ordination). Vishal Garg who was posted in the Directorate of Economic Offences Wing will be new commissioner of police for Howrah, replacing Dr Tanmoy Ray Chaudhuri who will take charge as DIG (Burdwan Range). Parul Kush Jain Joint CP (operations) will be new DIG (Training), replacing Md Imran Wahab who will now be Special IG of Correctional Services. Rashid Munir Khan CO (SAP) has been transferred to Baruipur police as SP. He will replace Ajoy Prasad who has been made CO (SAP) 2nd Battalion.

Stay updated with all the Kolkata Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.