Following the change of guard in West Bengal, the Kolkata Police’s official X handle has unfollowed former chief minister Mamata Banerjee and TMC General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee. The force now follows 44 accounts, reflecting the state’s new political reality.

The Kolkata Police have started following the official accounts of new Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, ministers Dilip Ghosh, Agnimitra Paul, Lok Bhavan, HMO, PMO India, and Narendra Modi, among others.

The unfollowing came after the reduction of security at the residences of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee.

West Bengal DGP Siddh Nath Gupta had termed the reduction of police personnel as a “rationalisation” of resources rather than a complete withdrawal. He had clarified that both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee continue to receive Z+ category security. The removal only applied to the additional layers of “area security” – such as the massive iron scissor barriers and the heavy police presence that had effectively cordoned off Harish Chatterjee Street near Mamata Banerjee’s residence for years.

Police kiosks near Abhishek Banerjee’s residence were also removed. Locals reported a sense of “normalcy” returning to the streets, as they no longer need to produce ID cards or take long detours to reach their own homes.

Meanwhile, rumors of mass transfers and ‘revenge’ promotions within the police flooded WhatsApp groups, prompting Lalbazar, the Kolkata Police headquarters, to issue a warning.

“Deceptive lists claiming transfers and promotions are entirely false. Kolkata Police is monitoring the spread of such misinformation, and legal action is being initiated,” the Kolkata Police said on X.