Despite uncertainty over successor, Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar given warm send-off

Despite uncertainty over his successor, Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar was accorded a warm send-off on Thursday, two days before his superannuation. He sounded philosophical during the farewell ceremony, saying courage is not always about action, but it’s about standing firm.

A 1990-batch IPS officer, Kumar opened up his mind while reflecting on his actions as a police officer, saying he followed his conscience as much as the law during his long policing career. “Our work is the final word. My conscience will tell me whether I am right or wrong. True courage speaks from within,” he said.

The Bengal government is yet to name the next chief of state police due to a legal imbroglio. Kumar’s name had been included in the panel of eight IPS officers that was sent to the UPSC following a Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order. But the UPSC, instead of following the CAT’s order to complete the empanelment process and send it to the state govt by January 29, chose to move the Delhi High Court, scuttling the process.

Though the legal tangle has pushed the appointment of the next DGP into uncertainty, it has failed to deter the state police from organizing the farewell ceremony for Kumar.

Kumar lauded his colleagues profusely, describing Bengal a very important state strategically and geopolitically, as it shared borders with three nations—Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Nepal.

He reminded the Bengal Police how effectively they tackled Naxalism. “We are the only police force that tackled the Naxal challenge twice. This was not overcome without sacrifice. More than 250 people gave their lives,” he said.

The outgoing DGP reminded that the Bengal force also excelled in maintaining law and order, especially crowd control. He talked about the level of law and order maintained during festivals like Durga Puja or Gangasagar. He mentioned how people lost their lives elsewhere, but it was the state’s heritage and pride that ensured all the arrangements were made without the loss of lives.

Kumar reminded the police personnel that every officer from top to bottom at the level of the constabulary mattered for him. The outgoing DGP did not miss the opportunity to remember the role the family and friends play in a cop’s life.