In a development that has sparked political and administrative debate, Gautam Das, the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Kalighat Police Station, has been suspended by Kolkata Police on Saturday following allegations surrounding a controversial social media post.
The controversy arose after Das allegedly shared a photograph on his personal Facebook and WhatsApp accounts, where he was seen seated in his office chair holding a firearm while dressed in a Police uniform. The caption accompanying the image read, “Ready for a new assignment.”
The post quickly drew criticism and triggered a political storm in the state.
The ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) lodged a formal complaint with the Election Commission of India, raising concerns over the appropriateness of such a post, especially during the sensitive election period. Amid mounting pressure and an ongoing inquiry, Kolkata Police authorities decided to suspend Das from his position. In the interim, Chameli Mukherjee has been appointed as the new OC of Kalighat Police Station.
Das had only recently been appointed to the post following a reshuffle conducted by the Election Commission ahead of the second phase of polling in the West Bengal Assembly election. His suspension comes shortly after assuming the role. Meanwhile, Jayprakash Majumder, State Vice-President of the TMC, formally addressed the issue in a written complaint to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, State Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Agarwal, and Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nand.
According to Majumder, Das himself uploaded the image across his social media platforms. He further alleged that the officer was seen holding a sophisticated firearm in uniform, which, combined with the caption, raised serious questions about conduct and intent. Although Majumder initially referenced a specific Facebook account in a post on X (formerly Twitter), the mention was later removed.
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