Manoj Kumar Verma has been appointed as the new Kolkata Police Commissioner, replacing Vineet Goyal, a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced Goyal’s removal. The decision came after Banerjee met with protesting junior doctors, who have been demanding Goyal’s ouster over his handling of the investigation into the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata. Goyal has now been appointed as Inspector General of Police (IGP) of the West Bengal Police's Special Task Force (STF).

Verma, an IPS officer from the 1998 batch, previously held the position of Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) in West Bengal. He has also served as Commissioner of Barrackpore Police and as additional director at the Directorate of Security. His new role comes at a critical time, as Kolkata faces protests following the trainee doctor’s death, with demands for accountability in the case.

The junior doctors, protesting outside Swasthya Bhavan, West Bengal's health headquarters, since September 10, have been calling for Goyal's removal after the body of the trainee doctor was found in RG Kar Medical College's seminar hall on August 9. Protesters criticized Goyal's response to the case, and Mamata Banerjee also confirmed that the Deputy Commissioner of Kolkata Police (North), accused of bribery by the trainee doctor’s family, would be removed. Additionally, Director of Medical Education Kaustav Naik and Director of Health Services Debashis Halder were dismissed from their positions.

As the new Kolkata Police chief, Verma faces the dual challenge of restoring law and order in the wake of ongoing protests while preparing for the upcoming Durga Puja celebrations. Known for his extensive experience in West Bengal's conflict-ridden Jangalmahal area, Verma has a track record of leading successful joint operations against Maoist insurgents when he served as Superintendent of Police in affected districts.