KOLKATA: The Kolkata Police is planning to carry out more stringent evaluation of field officers before allowing them to carry weapons. “The incident on Friday where 28-year-old Kolkata Armed Police constable Chodup Lepcha on his first day of duty outside the Bangladesh deputy high commission near Park Circus opened indiscriminate fire from his SLR, killing a 28-year-old woman and injuring two others, has taught us a lesson. We will need to rethink about mental health in the long term,” said an officer.
Cops said that while most constables can return home once a month, those staying in north Bengal (like Lepcha) are allowed longer breaks lasting at least 10 days. “We already have a strict policy where alcoholic colleagues are not assigned weapons. Now, we plan to carry out periodic evaluation of mental state. We will ask our officers to learn more about the family needs and requirements of the lower constabulary,” stated a senior officer in the armed unit.
