‘Breach of diplomatic protocol’: Kolkata Police directs officers to stop searching envoy vehicles after Russian protest
Times of India | 20 April 2026
KOLKATA: Kolkata Police has instructed its officers to avoid checking vehicles belonging to any consulate general, following a protest by the Russian consulate general over alleged inspection attempts.
Joint CP headquarters issued a late-night order to all units in this regard.
The consulate general of the Russian Federation in Kolkata lodged a formal protest after its vehicle was reportedly stopped on two occasions last week.
Calling it a breach of diplomatic protocol, the mission sent complaints to the ministry of external affairs, the state home department, and senior police officials.
According to the complaint, police stopped the vehicle on April 14 and April 16 in south Kolkata despite visible diplomatic markings. The consulate alleged the checks were conducted knowingly.
Citing the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, the mission said diplomatic vehicles are protected from search under normal circumstances and termed the incidents a serious breach of protocol.
The MEA’s Kolkata branch secretariat then took up the issue with the state govt.