Palghar, Maharashtra: In a major reshuffle of senior IPS officers, the Maharashtra Home Department has transferred two high-ranking police officials in a move that has raised eyebrows due to its political undercurrents.
According to an official order issued today, Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Niket Kaushik has been appointed as the new Police Commissioner of the Mira-Bhayandar Vasai-Virar (MBVV) Commissionerate. Kaushik, who previously headed the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Mumbai, will succeed senior IPS officer Madhukar Pandey in the role.
Pandey, the outgoing MBVV Police Commissioner, has been transferred to the post of ADGP (Administration), Maharashtra State, Mumbai.
While the government termed the transfers as routine and conducted under Section 22(N) of the Maharashtra Police Act, 1951, political observers view the timing significant, coming just a day after Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis ordered an inquiry into the denial of permission for a Marathi protest march in the MBVV region.
Marathi March Row Sparks Uproar
The transfer comes in the wake of Tuesday’s tense situation in Mira-Bhayandar, where the Marathi Ekikaran Samiti, along with the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS), Shiv Sena (UBT), and NCP (Sharad Pawar faction), led a protest march to defend Marathi pride. The agitation was sparked by an incident involving a shopkeeper who was allegedly assaulted for refusing to speak Marathi.
Police action during the rally, including the early morning detention of MNS leader Avinash Jadhav from his Thane residence around 3:30 am, added to the controversy. A prohibitory order had been issued against Jadhav the previous day, barring him from entering the township. He was released later on Tuesday.
The protest escalated with multiple activists being detained and political temperatures flaring. In a dramatic scene, Shiv Sena minister Pratap Sarnaik was heckled and forced to leave by angry demonstrators when he arrived at the protest site to show support.
The BJP-led Maharashtra government faced severe backlash for the handling of the rally. The protest route, a key point of contention, was reportedly denied by the police citing law and order concerns.
Pandey’s refusal to grant permission for the Marathi march triggered political backlash, with opposition parties accusing the Fadnavis-led government of suppressing Marathi voices. The move reportedly sparked outrage among local leaders and residents, reigniting tensions around the sensitive Marathi-non-Marathi divide in the area.
Fadnavis later clarified that permission had indeed been granted for the MNS rally, but the police had opposed the specific route requested by the party.
Repeated attempts by Free Press Journal to reach Madhukar Pandey for a statement remained unanswered.
