Two Bengal cops suspended for assaulting BJP candidate in South 24 Parganas
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Two police officers from Baruipur police station in South 24 Parganas district have been suspended by the West Bengal government for allegedly assaulting Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate Biswajit Pal on 5 May, a day after the state Assembly election results were declared. The suspension was confirmed by state government officials on Tuesday, 12 May.
The Incident
According to the complaint filed by Biswajit Pal, the BJP candidate from Baruipur Paschim constituency, police officers physically assaulted him without provocation after spotting him on the road on the afternoon of 5 May. Pal alleged that he was not only beaten up but also had a false case registered against him. A video that circulated widely on social media showed Inspector-In-Charge Samar Dey of Baruipur police station and several other officers assaulting the candidate and forcing him into a vehicle.
Officers Suspended
The two policemen identified in the incident are Inspector-In-Charge Samar Dey and Sub-Inspector Sukumar Ruidas of Baruipur police station. Following a written complaint by Pal, the state police launched an investigation. Disciplinary action was subsequently initiated, leading to the suspension of both officers.
Context: Post-Poll Violence in Bengal
The incident occurred in the backdrop of post-poll violence that erupted across parts of West Bengal following the Assembly election results. At the time, the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) had alleged that its party offices in several locations within the Baruipur Paschim constituency were being vandalised. According to locals, the Inspector-In-Charge and other officers had gone to the site after receiving a vandalism complaint, during which the alleged assault on Pal took place.
New Government, Swift Action
The suspension comes after the BJP came to power in West Bengal, ending 15 years of Trinamool Congress rule. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of West Bengal. On Monday, Adhikari held his first Cabinet meeting at the State Secretariat Nabanna and later chaired a meeting with top police officers of the state. The disciplinary action against the two Baruipur officers is among the first such moves under the new administration.
What Comes Next
The investigation into the assault and the false case allegedly filed against Pal is ongoing. The suspensions signal an early intent by the new BJP government to act on complaints of political violence and police misconduct that surfaced during the post-poll period. Further action against other officers or individuals implicated in post-election violence across the state remains a possibility.