Ahead of the upcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, newly-appointed Commissioner of Kolkata Police, IPS Ajay Kumar Nanda, has asserted that the city police are fully equipped to handle any law-and-order situation and ensure a free and fair voting process.
Addressing a press conference at Kolkata Police headquarters, Lalbazar, IPS Nanda said the force is capable of dealing with incidents similar to the recent disturbance in Girish Park. “Kolkata Police is capable of handling such situations.
The incident unfolded quickly, but that does not mean we are unprepared,” he said referring the attack on state minister Dr. Sashi Panja’s house last Saturday, which was incidentally the day on which Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a mega public meeting at Brigade ground.
Notably, Dr. Panja had alleged that the attacks were carried out by Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) cadres who had come to attend the congregation.
Responding to questions over the alleged delay in deploying central forces during the incident, Nanda clarified that “such forces were not immediately available” at the time. He also pointed out that there is no fixed rule governing when central forces must be called in, emphasising that local police routinely manage law and order, including rallies and public gatherings.
On coordination with central forces, the Commissioner dismissed any notion of conflict, stating, “There is no conflict with central forces. They assist us indirectly during elections.” He added that established communication mechanisms, including designated nodal officers and timelines, ensure coordination when required.
Nanda further stressed that conducting peaceful and impartial elections is the primary objective for the police. “Our focus is to ensure that elections in Kolkata are conducted freely and fairly,” he said, adding that ensuring public safety remains the force’s top priority.
He also acknowledged recent complaints, including incidents such as poster tearing following the announcement of the election schedule, and confirmed that such matters are under investigation.
The Commissioner described the Girish Park episode as “unfortunate” but reiterated confidence in the preparedness of the force, underlining that maintaining law and order during the election period remains their central focus.
IPS Nanda assumed charge as the new CP of Kolkata Police a day after elections were announced in the state following Election Commission of India’s directive. He replaced IPS Supratim Sarkar. A 1996-batch IPS officer, Nanda has held several key positions during his career, including serving as Superintendent of Police in West Midnapore, where he was actively involved in anti-Maoist operations. He has also worked as Commissioner of Asansol-Durgapur and served in various roles within Kolkata Police. Notably, he was appointed as the first Inspector General of the West Bengal Special Task Force (STF).
