Mamata Banerjee injury: Director Security, SP suspended, DM removed over Nandigram incident

The chief secretary, in consultation with the director-general of police, is authorised to decide on the new Director Security immediately, the EC said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee along with TMC leaders and supporters during a rally on 'Nandigram Diwas', in Kolkata. (Photo | PTI)

KOLKATA: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday suspended director of security, West Bengal government, and superintendent of police, East Midnapore, in connection with the incident in which chief minister Mamata Banerjee was injured in Nandigram on March 10. The ECI also removed the district magistrate of East Midnapore.

The ECI said the decision of suspending two IPS officers and removing an IAS was taken on the basis of reports submitted by the chief secretary West Bengal, special general observer Ajay Nayak and special police officer Vivek Dubey. The Commission found the two suspended officers found the two suspended officers failed to protect the Bengal CM.

Mamata received injuries on her left foot while greeting her supporters standing on the footboard of her vehicle and got sandwiched between the front door and seat of the car because of pressure from the crowd. Initially, she described the incident as a fall out of conspiracy but next day, in a video message from SSKM hospital, she distanced herself from her allegation and said the crowd came close to her car and she got crushed.

In a report to the ECI by the two special observers, it was said that the incident was an accident, not an attack and held the police arrangement responsible for the event.

In a statement, the ECI said Vivek Sahay shall be removed from the post of director security and be placed under suspension immediately. ‘’The charges must be framed against him within a week for grossly failing in discharge of his primary duty as director security to protect the Z+ protectee,’’ the statement says.

The Commission also directed to frame charges against police superintendent Pravin Prakash immediately for major failure of bandobast.

The ECI also instructed to identify other security personnel who were in close proximity of the Bengal CM. ‘’A committee of Chief Secretary and DGP shall identify within next three days the other proximate security personnel below director security, who failed in their duties to prevent the incident and protect the Z+ protectee  VVIP and take suitable action for their failure under intimation to the Commission by 1700 hours on 17^th March, 2021,’’ the ECI said.