Adhikari slams Bengal DGP after EC flags ‘serious security lapses’

Kolkata, Jan 4 (PTI) Leader of the opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday launched a scathing attack on DGP Rajeev Kumar after the Election Commission sought an Action Taken Report (ATR) over alleged harassment of a senior poll official by a mob in South 24 Parganas district.

The EC flagged "serious security lapses" in connection with an incident in which electoral rolls observer C Murugan, an IAS officer, was allegedly gheraoed and his vehicle damaged in Magrahat area on December 29.

The commission had asked the state authorities to submit an ATR by Tuesday (January 6).

In a post on X, Adhikari described the EC's intervention as a "stinging wake-up call" for the state's top cop.

He alleged that the incident was a "TMC-orchestrated mob attack" and termed the security failure a "shameful display of law and order" under the current administration.

"The EC calls it 'serious lapses', we call it treason against democracy," the senior BJP leader stated.

Referring to the DGP, Adhikari claimed that the police administration was suffering from "political compulsions." Adhikari also claimed that he had provided the police with "crystal clear footage" identifying those involved in the incident, including what he described as "master conspirators" who allegedly incited the mob in Magrahat and Kulpi areas.

"Will you finally grow a spine, file those FIRs, and haul these TMC thugs to justice? Time to choose: Serve the Constitution or keep serving the syndicate?" Adhikari questioned in his post.

The incident occurred during a hearing for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, where Murugan's vehicle was gheraoed by protestors.

The commission has taken a stern view of the fact that despite advance intimation, adequate security was not provided to the observer in sensitive blocks like Magrahat-I, Magrahat-II, and Kulpi. PTI BSM MNB