Tripura says Bengal police didn’t cooperate for Biplab Deb’s visit, seeks probe

Agartala/Kolkata, Dec. 10 (PTI): Tripura’s chief secretary, in a letter to his Bengal counterpart, has alleged that officials in the state didn’t cooperate for Chief Minister Biplab Deb’s visit and has sought a probe.

Deb was scheduled to visit Bengal’s Cooch Behar for BJP’s ‘rath yatra’ on December 7.

In a letter to West Bengal Chief Secretary Malay De, Tripura’s L K Gupta said that district police officials neither made arrangements for Deb’s accommodation and transport, nor they shared his security details.

“District Police of Cooch Behar neither made arrangements for his accommodation and transport, not shared the security arrangements made/planned for Chief Minister,” the letter read.

Requesting him to probe the matter and take action against the erring officials, Gupta wrote, “Further suitable instructions may be issued so that such incidents do not happen in future.”

After the Calcutta High Court’s order, the BJP mega-event did not take place and Biplab Deb also scrapped his Bengal visit.

De on Monday admitted that he has received Gupta’s letter.

Along with his letter, Gupta also enclosed a letter from Tripura’s police chief AK Shukla.

Shukla, in his letter wrote that Deputy Superintendent of Police (Security) Kamal Shukla Das reached Cooch Behar a day ahead of Deb’s visit. Though he had informed local authorities about his arrival, no one came to get him from the station. No arrangement was also made for his stay and he had to spend the night at the station.

Next day, the officer went to Cooch Behar district police office but officials there declined to share security arrangements made for Biplab Deb’s visit, said the letter.

He even dialled Cooch Behar Superintendent of Police Bholanath Pandey but those also went unanswered.