Calcutta’s police commissioner Soumen Mitra took a bicycle ride to review the security arrangements in the Maidan area on Sunday morning.

The inspection came a day after the city police stepped up vigil on the Maidan for evening walkers and the police commissioner's instruction to intensify security around all parks and lakes where people go for morning and evening walks.

Mitra started the inspection from Prinsep Ghat around 5.30am, crossed Strand Road, Kingsway, All India Radio building and Council House Street to reach Lalbazar, from where he took a U-turn to reach Red Road and Victoria Memorial, via Council House Street. He ended his ride in front of Elliot Park.

Senior officers said the top cop’s move suggested the heightened emphasis the city police are giving to security on and around the Maidan.

“We have never seen a commissioner take a cycle ride to review security. This was symbolic and a message to the entire force about the seriousness with which Lalbazar is viewing the matter,” said a police officer.

Last week, two scooter-borne men had robbed three morning walkers and attacked one of them with a knife and the butt of a gun when he tried to resist them.

The security for morning walkers on the Maidan was increased the next morning, while that for evening walkers was stepped up on Saturday.

Commissioner Mitra had during Saturday’s crime conference purportedly instructed all police stations in the city to tighten security around the places where Calcuttans go for a walk.

“Sir (Mitra) has told us that not just the Maidan, emphasis should be given to all places where people go for morning and evening walks,” said an officer who had attended the crime conference.

Based on the instructions, vigil has been stepped up at Rabindra Sarovar, Subhas Sarovar and all big parks where people gather to walk. Officers said police deployment on the premises of both lakes had been stepped up and cops had been given walkie-talkies for seamless communication.

Last week, when three morning walkers were attacked on the Maidan, there were no police personnel in the vicinity. The absence of cops might have encouraged the scooter-borne duo to
carry out the daring daylight attack.

After the incident, Calcutta police set up four police pickets, each comprising two cops armed with walkie-talkies. Also, the number of police patrol vehicles has been doubled.

The commissioner has also purportedly instructed his officers to increase visibility of cops in the areas where people go for walks but are largely deserted because of restrictions on parking and movement of private vehicles.