In a major career advancement exercise, the West Bengal government has promoted 17 IPS officers from the 2006–2008 batches to the rank of Inspector General of Police (IGP). The promotions are accompanied by new assignments across intelligence, traffic management, crime investigation, administration, and security wings.
Among the officers elevated are Sonmit Lepcha (IPS:2006), who has been appointed IG, North Bengal, and Mehmood Akhtar (IPS:2006), who takes over as IG, Traffic. Ajay Kumar Thakur (IPS:2008) has been promoted and posted as IG, CID, while Soma Das Mitra becomes IG, Policy. Other key postings include Krishnakali Lahiri as IG, CCW, Arnab Ghosh as IG, Coastal Security, and Sudhir Kumar Neelakantam as IG, CIF.
The promotion list also features Syed Waquar Raza, who continues as Commissioner of Police, Siliguri, now in the IG rank, and Meeraj Khalid, who has been posted as IG, Traffic. Amitava Burma has been appointed State Commandant, NVF, while Arindam Datta Chowdhury takes charge as IG, Administration. Additionally, Kankar Prasad Barui has been elevated as IG, Presidency Range, Joy Biswas as IG, Railways, and Shyam Singh as IG, Telecommunications.
The state government has also promoted Subrata Gangopadhyay as Member Secretary of the West Bengal Police Recruitment Board in the IGP rank, while Nilanjan Biswas has been appointed Additional Commissioner of Police, Kolkata. Alok Rajoria (IPS:2008) rounds off the list with his elevation and posting as IG, Legal. The promotions are expected to strengthen leadership across several critical policing divisions in West Bengal.
