The Mamata Banerjee government is preparing to elevate around 6,000 lower-rank cops whose promotions are due for a while, a move aimed at boosting the morale of the law enforcers ahead of the panchayat elections.
The police personnel who are likely to be elevated are currently serving as constables, assistant sub-inspectors, sub-inspectors and inspectors. There are around 30 deputy superintendents of police whose promotions are pending for two years.
Multiple sources in the police administration saw the move against the backdrop of the fiasco in Kaliaganj, North Dinajpur.
“The nature of policing seen in Kaliaganj shows that the law enforcers are helpless in handling a riot-like situation. The videos showing a blazing police station and cops crying for help, while in uniform, were embarrassing as they reflected their (the cops') lack of confidence. The decision to clear the pending promotions will certainly give them a morale boost, especially to those who work on the ground,” said a senior IPS officer.
“That morale boost is much needed as these law enforcers will handle the security arrangements in the forthcoming panchayat elections,” he added.
On April 25, Kaliaganj saw a fierce attack on police personnel, with around 2,000 people who took out a protest march over the death of a minor girl attacking the law enforcers with stones and bricks and setting the police station ablaze. Later, videos surfaced on social media showing police personnel begging for their lives while getting thrashed by the mob.
According to a senior officer in the police administration, the decision of promoting the cops was taken after chief minister Mamata Banerjee asked director-general of police Manoj Malaviya to immediately clear due promotions, mainly of cops who work on the ground. The directive was given at an administrative review meeting at Nabanna a day after the Kaliaganj incident.
“The chief minister has rightly identified the need for timely promotion of the cops. We should not forget that the cops in the so-called lower ranks actually manage law and order crises, both in Calcutta and in the districts,” said another police officer.
According to a rough estimate, there are around 3,500 cops whose promotions are due in the state police and around 2,500 more in Calcutta police.
