Kolkata, February 28 – Anticipating potential tensions following the publication of the final voter lists in three separate categories later in the day, the West Bengal government has identified four districts bordering Bangladesh as highly sensitive and appointed four senior officers from the Indian Police Service (IPS) to oversee law and order in these areas.
The districts identified as sensitive are Malda, Murshidabad, Nadia, and Cooch Behar. All four share international borders with Bangladesh. While Cooch Behar and Malda are located in North Bengal, Murshidabad and Nadia are located in South Bengal. Malda and Murshidabad are districts with a significant minority population and have experienced sporadic tensions in the past.
According to official sources, all four officers assumed their respective positions at 2 p.m. on Saturday.
Additional Director General (Counter-Insurgency Force) Ajay Nand has been appointed as the head of the Malda district. He will be assisted by one officer each from the state's Counter-Insurgency Force and the Malda District Police.
Deputy Inspector General (Coastal Security) Sunil Kumar Yadav has been assigned to oversee the Cooch Behar district. He will be supported by one officer each from the state's Rapid Action Force and the Cooch Behar District Police.
Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters) Rashid Munir Khan will supervise security arrangements in the Murshidabad district. He will be assisted by two personnel from the Counter-Insurgency Force and one officer from the Murshidabad District Police.
Inspector General (Traffic) Gourav Sharma has been given charge of the Nadia district and will be assisted by two officers from the Nadia District Police.
Meanwhile, the first batch of 240 companies of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) has begun arriving in West Bengal in phases since Friday. These forces are scheduled to be deployed from March 1 as part of the first phase of security arrangements.
The initial deployment will include 110 companies of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), 55 companies of the Border Security Force (BSF), 21 companies of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), 27 companies of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and 27 companies of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
In an unprecedented move, the CAPF deployment has been initiated even before the formal announcement of polling dates and the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct.
A second batch of another 240 CAPF companies is scheduled to be deployed from March 10, further strengthening security coverage in the state.
