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Basant Rath transferred to office of Commandant General Home Guards, replaced by Alok Kumar as IGP Traffic

Srinagar: Ex Inspector General of Police (IGP) Traffic, Basant Rath has been attached to the office of Commandant General Home Guards/Civil Defence/SDRF. After rumours, confirmation for the attachment came in the form of a government order which read, “Shri Alok Kumar, IGP Security, J&K is transferred and posted as IGP Traffic, J&K vice Shri Basant Kumar Rath.”

The internet was earlier set ablaze by Kashmiri netizens with praises of Ex Inspector General of Police (IGP) Traffic, Basant Rath after rumors of his transfer circulated around social media on Monday.

Several social media news pages, personal accounts and Whatsapp groups had posted the rumor that Rath, well-famed for his accessibility had been removed from the post.

Few celebrated the news, but many social media users of the Valley expressed sadness over his removal, calling him an ‘honest officer’ of the police force.

Rath is mostly known for his interactions with the younger generation in the Valley, leading many locals expressing overwhelming support.

He is also famous for seizing a police vehicle for plying without a registration number plate at Jammu city’s Bikram Chowk and ordering a Minister’s driver to wear a uniform while driving him to work from home and back.

Many Kashmiris have called him ‘our own Singham’, in reference to popular movie character of the same name played by Ajay Devgan in the movie that garnered 150 crores in the box office.

However, Rath has also been known to get into verbal arguments with government officials, including politicians. A most recent case would be his argument with newly elected Srinagar Mayor, Junaid Azim Mattu over the administrative powers of traffic control, which has currently been increasing despite the secretariat’s Darbar move.

After Mattu had wrote a Twitter post that he had acted on numerous complaints of traffic mess in the city by reviewing traffic plans, Rath had replied that it wasn’t the mayor’s domain.

“Not your domain. Traffic diversion at Jehangir Chowk is a compulsion. The vendors have created a mess on Amira Kadal-HSHS-Maharaja Bazaz-LD Hospital stretch. SMC needs to clear the mess,” Rath wrote as a response.

In wake of the rumors, Former Director General of Police Shesh Paul Vaid took to Twitter to express hope that it ‘was just a rumor’.

Independent Lawmaker Engineer Rashid also expressed support to Rath. Rashid wrote that Rath had been “victimized for being honest, secular and dedicated.”

Journalist Majid Hyderi criticized the JK government for supposedly removing Rath. “By transferring Basanth Rath for arguing with Neta, JK Govt not only belittled institution of IPS but behaved like cabbage,(Sic),” Hyderi posted on his Facebook, referring to Rath’s recent post on Mattu.

Many social media users expressed their disdain at the supposed decision.

 

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