Eastern Frontier Rifles officer ‘masked’ at media meet

SALUA - A senior Eastern Frontier Rifles (EFR) officer Saturday addressed a media conference with his face covered with a black cloth, raising questions about the force’s morale after the death of 24 of its troopers in a Maoist attack on the Silda camp Monday.

EFR special Inspector General Benoy Chakraborty lambasted the authorities for “misusing” and “ill-treating” the EFR, but his efforts to remain unrecognisable attracted more attention than what he said at the media meet.

“I am puzzled why he did it. Even (West Bengal) Director General of Police Bhupinder Singh held a media meet at Silda with his face totally visible,” a senior police officer said.

State Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta also led a ministerial delegation to the Salua camp in West Midnapore district Tuesday, braving the wrath of the kin of the dead jawans, and spoke to the people without bothering to cover his face.

Attempts to contact Chakraborty were not successful.