Kalighat gets two new OCs in 24 hours, Chameli Mukherjee's appointment revoked; Balai Bag gets the job

In a series of rapid administrative shifts, the Kalighat Police Station—responsible for the high-profile area housing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence—has seen its Officer-in-Charge (OC) changed for the fourth time in just 36 days. In the latest development on Sunday, the appointment of Chameli Mukherjee, who was named just a day prior, was revoked. Following the instructions of Kolkata Police Commissioner Ajay Nanda, Balai Bag has been appointed as the new OC of the Kalighat station. Bag was previously serving as the Additional OC of Polerhat station in the Bhangar Division.

This unprecedented frequency of leadership changes began on March 29 when the Election Commission first appointed Utpal Ghosh. He was replaced by Gautam Das on April 25, who was subsequently suspended on May 2. The initial appointment of Chameli Mukherjee to replace Das lasted less than 24 hours before the order was cancelled in favor of Balai Bag. Such frequent rotations at a sensitive police station during the final stages of the election process have drawn significant public and political attention.

The removal of the previous OC, Gautam Das, reportedly stemmed from a controversial social media post. Das allegedly shared a photograph of himself in uniform, seated at his desk with a modern firearm, captioned "Ready for new responsibility". The Trinamool Congress filed a formal complaint with the Chief Election Commissioner and the Police Commissioner, labeling the image offensive. While official reasons for the suspension have not been publicly detailed by Lalbazar, sources suggest this "gun-photo" incident was the primary catalyst for his removal.

With voting concluded on April 23 and 29 and counting scheduled for May 4, the timing of this appointment is critical. Ensuring stability and security in the Chief Minister's home turf is a top priority for the Kolkata Police as the state prepares for the announcement of election results. Balai Bag now steps into the role during one of the most sensitive periods in the local political calendar.