Kolkata, Jan 31 (IANS): The West Bengal government on Wednesday announced a major reshuffle of IPS officers in the state by transferring as many as 45 officers in one go, with months to go before the Lok Sabha polls.

The most significant transfer was in the rank of Additional Director General (Law & Order), where veteran IPS officer and the current ADG (Intelligence Branch), Manoj Kumar Verma, replaced Javed Shamim, as the latter took over as ADG (Intelligence Branch).

Another significant transfer was in the rank of Superintendent of Basirhat District Police, J. Thomas, who has been transferred as police superintendent of Islampur. Thomas has been replaced by the erstwhile superintendent of the counter insurgency force of the state police.

There is a buzz that Thomas’ transfer has some links with the recent attack on ED and CAPF personnel at Sandeshkhali, which comes under the jurisdiction of Basirhat District Police.

However, state government officials have described the transfers as routine transfers.

Sources in the state administration said that most of them had been in their earlier postings for a period of three years or more.

As per the rules, before any election, be it Lok Sabha or that of state Assembly, the transfer of officers completing three years or more in a particular posting is mandatory.