Siliguri: Bengal govt appointed Syed Waquar Raza as Siliguri’s new commissioner of police (CP) on Saturday replacing C Sudhakar. Raza was serving as deputy inspector general of the Jalpaiguri range. The move follows controversy over alleged protocol breach during President Droupadi Murmu’s recent visit.Earlier, the state govt appointed Sunil Agarwala, special secretary in the North Bengal Development Department as the new district magistrate of Darjeeling. DM Manish Mishra was reassigned as special secretary in the home and hill affairs department.President Droupadi Murmu had visited Siliguri on March 7 to attend the 9th Convention of the International Adivasi and Santal Council.The conference was initially scheduled to be held at Santoshini School ground in Bidhannagar, Phansidewa block, a tribal-dominated area near Siliguri. However, citing security concerns, the venue was later shifted to Gossainpur, Bagdogra.While addressing the gathering at the new venue in Gossainpur, the President publicly expressed displeasure over the change in location. After the programme, she travelled to Bidhannagar and again voiced strong dissatisfaction over the venue shift.Following the incident, the Union home ministry sought a detailed report from the state govt within 24 hours. The report was submitted and the Centre reportedly found it unsatisfactory. Subsequently, the Union govt moved to summon the Siliguri CM and the Darjeeling DM on central deputation.
