EC removes West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's security officer

Kolkata, Apr 09: Hours before the fourth phase of the 2021 West Bengal assembly elections are slated to begin, the Election Commission of India on Friday removed chief minister Mamata Banerjee's security officer Ashok Chakraborty.

The step against Asoke Chakraborty, an officer on special duty (OSD) in an ex-cadre post in the rank of superintendent of police, is believed to have been taken because of "security lapses" which led to Banerjee''s foot injury in Nandigram last month, he said.

"He is removed from the post with immediate effect," the official in the state CEO''s office said.

Banerjee suffered the injury after a fall while campaigning in her constituency Nandigram on March 10. Since then, she is seeking votes for her party sitting on a wheelchair.

The poll panel earlier suspended Banerjee''s Director Security Vivek Sahay following the incident.

The ECI, in an order, also attached Ajeet Singh Yadav, SP of Counter Insurgency Force, to the Howrah Police Commissionerate, "in view of the sensitivity of the assembly election in Howrah district in phase 4" on Saturday.

The officer, who is directed to report to the Commissioner of Police of Howrah immediately, "will be released after completion of the duty," it said.