Kolkata Police security scaled back near Mamata Banerjee residence after barricades removed

Kolkata Police partially removed barricades outside outgoing West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s south Kolkata residence, citing directions from higher authorities. Security presence in the Bhabanipur area eased, with fewer checks for residents and vehicles. Officials also withdrew deployment outside TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s Camac Street office as a wider review of leader security cover continues.

Police began taking down some barricades outside outgoing West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s south Kolkata home on Tuesday. The move came a day after the TMC lost power in the state. Mamata Banerjee also lost the Bhabanipur seat. Officers were seen removing guardrails near 30B Harish Chatterjee Street during the morning.

Officials said security was also reduced at other locations linked to the party. A senior official said the deployment outside TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee’s office on Camac Street was withdrawn. The office has served as a key organisational centre for the TMC for years. Police said changes were part of a wider exercise.

Kolkata Police security review for TMC leaders

Another official said a broader review of security cover for leaders of the outgoing TMC government is underway. "We are reassessing security arrangements based on present requirements,\" he said. The official named Firhad Hakim, Aroop Biswas and Sujit Bose as leaders under review. Police said such arrangements get checked and revised when needed.

At Mamata Banerjee’s residence, police said the action followed instructions from senior levels. No formal notice was issued about the change. A Kolkata Police official at the spot said personnel were told to remove the smart barricades. \"We have acted on directions from higher authorities,\" he said, and added that no reason was given.

Kolkata Police security changes in Bhabanipur

Even after the barricades were partly removed, a police kiosk remained at the site. However, the overall security presence in the area looked much lighter. The Bhabanipur locality had operated as a high-security zone for a long time. Vehicle movement was tracked, and residents often showed identity papers to enter homes.

The easing became clearer as access controls appeared to drop after the barricades came down. Police described the steps as routine adjustments linked to the situation. An official said, \"Security deployment is periodically evaluated and adjusted in accordance with the prevailing situation,\" and pointed to ongoing checks across several leaders’ covers.

With inputs from PTI