A day after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced following her meeting with protesting doctors that Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal would be stepping down, NDTV has learnt that five officers are in the running to replace him.
Based on their rank, several officers are eligible to be the next Kolkata top cop and sources said Jawed Shamim, Supratim Sarkar and Ajay Ranade are among the frontrunners.
Jawed Shamim, who is the Additional Director General of Police and Inspector General of Police of the state Intelligence Branch was recently also given additional charge of the state's anti-corruption branch. He also holds additional charge as Additional Director Security.
Supratim Sarkar is a 1997 batch officer who currently serves as Additional Director General of Police (South Bengal) while Ajay Ranade is the Additional Director General of Police (Administration).
Peeyush Pandey is another officer who may be in the running. Peeyush Pandey is a 1993 batch officer who currently serves as Director Security and holds an Additional Director General (ADG) of Police rank.
Another surprise pick could be Damayanti Sen, who has a no-nonsense image and also holds the rank of Additional Director General of Police in the West Bengal Police. Ms Sen, a 1996 batch officer, made headlines after the Park Street gang rape case a decade ago. She currently holds the post of ADG (Training).
Ms Sen was moved out after she told the media that an incident did take place on Park Street after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee termed it "sajano ghotona" (fabricated incident).
The West Bengal government is likely to announce a replacement for Vineet Goyal this evening.
His removal has been one of the key demands of doctors who have been agitating since a trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last month.
The doctors and Chief Minister Banerjee finally held discussions on Monday after several meetings fell through. The Bengal government had called Monday's invitation its "fifth and final invitation for talks".
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