The controversial sub-inspector (SI) Ritan Das, who was seen reportedly kicking a jobless teacher Amit Ranjan Bhuniya of a high school in South 24-Parganas district on Wednesday, was removed on Friday as an investigating officer (IO) probing the Kasba vandalism incident.

Another SI, Sanjoy Singh of Kasba police station (PS) replaced Mr Das of the same PS with directives from Lalbazar, Kolkata Police headquarters.

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Initially, Mr Das was made the IO of the case triggering serious controversy. Later, he was removed as the IO.

He was assigned to lead the force during the protest programme organised by the aggrieved teachers at the DI office premises.

Trouble started when the agitators allegedly tried to enter into the District Inspector (DI) of schools office by breaking its lock on Wednesday.

Mr Das in uniform was reportedly seen on video footages kicking the agitating teacher Mr Bhuniya at the DI office on Wednesday when the jobless teachers were demanding the inspector to make public the mirror images of OMR sheets of recruitment tests for teachers and non-teaching staff of non-teaching employees of state government-aided schools.

“Initially, he was the IO but later another officer replaced him to probe the case,” city police commissioner Manoj Verma told reporters at Lalbazar today.

“Kicking someone is not desirable,” Mr Verma admitted once more.

“An inquiry has been initiated to probe the allegations brought against the officer kicking an agitating teacher,” said Rupesh Kumar, joint commissioner of police (crime) while speaking to reporters.

Two cases under eight sections of the BNS were registered against the teachers and non-teaching employees on charge of sponsoring vandalism at the DI office. Two out of eight sections were non-bailable, according to police sources.

On Thursday, Mr Verma ordered an inquiry to probe the incident of vandalism at the DI of schools office premises at Kasba in the southern part of the city on Wednesday.

Mr Verma had said on Wednesday that the police had to resort to mild lathi-charge to keep the situation under control.

The police also issued a denial on its official X-handle on the allegations that the videos it had shared were not linked to the Kasba protest.

“Some unscrupulous individuals are spreading misinformation that videos posted by Kolkata Police do not pertain to yesterday’s incident,” Kolkata Police posted.

“The clips were merged for representation in a single video. Separate clips are below, including one showing a protester calling to ‘burn down the place with petrol.’ Faced with such unrelenting aggressive behaviour, Kolkata Police was compelled to use mild force in self-defence and disperse the unruly mob.”

Sources said that Mr Das was questioned by senior officers on Thursday as part of the inquiry.

He is said to have cited sudden lawlessness in the compound and an attack on the police as the trigger for action that has heaped shame on the city’s police force.

Sources said his role was being probed by an officer of the rank of deputy commissioner. What led to the incident is also a part of the probe, the sources said.

The Supreme Court last week had upheld the dismissal of the teaching and non-teaching staff recruited to government-aided schools in the city and districts, citing manipulation and a cover-up.