A police officer in East Burdwan was on Friday showcased after he was felicitated in uniform at an event organised by the Trinamul Congress.

“The police officer has been showcaused. He has been asked to explain why he received such a felicitation,” said East Burdwan district police chief Kamanasish Sen.

Sources said Trinamul leaders in Burdwan had organised a programme to distribute mosquito nets among a section of poor residents of the Khagragarh area of the town on Thursday evening. Biswanath Paine, a sub-inspector of police posted as OC (traffic) of the Golapbag subpost, was reportedly invited to the event for a felicitation for his work in his capacity as a traffic police officer.

In a video widely circulated on social media, it was found that Paine’s name was announced and he was requested to come on the dais for a felicitation. Trinamul worker felicitated Paine with a scarf, and another offered him a flower bouquet. Paine was in uniform underneath a half-sleeve jacket.

“It was not expected that a police officer in uniform or in plain clothes should receive felicitation from leaders of a political party. It is always against the police’s rule book. If someone is invited for any kind of felicitation in a social programme he or she should take formal permission from his or her superior,” said a senior police officer.

The programme was organised by East Burdwan’s Khagragarh unit Trinamul Congress and several senior leaders including local Trinamul MLA Khokan Das, East Burdwan youth Trinamul president Rashbehari Haldar along with other local leaders and municipality councillors. Apart from Paine, at least a dozen local Trinamul leaders were felicitated at the event.

Khokan Das, the Trinamul MLA from Burdwan south assembly constituency, claimed that the showcause and controversy over the felicitation was “absurd” as the event was organised by a local club in Khagragarh.

“Actually, the programme for the distribution of mosquito nets was organised by a club: Khagragarh Yubak Sangha. As all of the members are Trinamul workers, the event apparently turned into a political one. The traffic police officer was felicitated as local people love him for his good work,” said Das who also asked the cop to be soft on bikers.