Agartala, : A day after exclusion of health minister Sudip Roy Barman from Tripura cabinet, Director General of Police (DGP) A K Shukla left the state last evening taking 70 days leave.
It seems to be the third strike of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb in past one week as per his pre-poll announcement of strong action against the ‘conspirators of the government’.
Next day of BJP’s return with a thumping majority at the centre, Chief Secretary Lalit Kumar Gupta was removed and posted him as Director General to State Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (SIPARD). On the next of Modi led government sworn-in, health minister Sudip Roy Barman was axed from the cabinet followed by sending DGP Shukla to long leave.
According to sources, DGP was asked to go for leave giving charge to Additional DGP (Law and Order) and former Joint Director Rajiv Singh. The election commission of India after postponing the West Tripura Loksabha poll in the second phase had also removed Rajiv Singh from the post of nodal officer, security accusing him of the failure to hold a peaceful election in the first phase on April 11 last.
“The Chief Minister was not happy with DGP Shukla for a long time and he has been cautioned several times. Moreover, the performance of police against the criminals before, after and during the election was not satisfactory to the government, which ultimately, shifted the blame on Chief Minister. There is no other option left except appointing new DGP,” said a senior official of state home department.
Besides, opposition, a section of ruling party leaders have also expressed displeasure over law and order situation in the state in last few months and despite a repeated warning to the police chief for strong action against the perpetrators, desirable steps were not taken. As a result, unnecessarily chief minister, government and the ruling party were blamed, the official added.
According to the report, DGP Shukla is scheduled to join in duty on August 9 next and he will be retired from the service in January next year. The state government has made in-charge chief secretary and in-charge DGP and decided to fill up both the top posts from outside the state cadres, as in last one year in office BJP led government believed that the mindset of the officers and employees have not been changed what they had during 25 years of communist rule, said a senior minister of state.
He, however, indicated that the state administration is going to witness a massive reshuffle soon and after panchayat election scheduled in next month the cabinet also be extended considering the commitment towards party and people of the MLAs.
UNI.
