Deputy Speaker Safwi passes away
Kolkata: Haidar Aziz Safwi, Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly, died at his residence on Wednesday morning. He was 73-years-old and is survived by his wife, 2 sons and a daughter.
Condoling his death, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee tweeted: "I am deeply saddened to know that Haider Aziz Safwi, Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly, is no more. He was a very senior and respected person associated with us for a long time.
His passing away is indeed a great loss. I convey my deep condolence to members of his family, friends, followers and well-wishers. These moments of sorrow are really very hard for us to digest but there is nothing that we can do but accept."
His mortal remains were brought to the Assembly House, where the MLAs and ministers paid their last respects. It was then taken to Uluberia East Assembly constituency, from where he was elected in the 2011 and 2016 Assembly elections.
His remains will be kept at Peace Haven and will be flown to Lucknow, where he will be cremated.
He was admitted to a private nursing home in South Kolkata with breathing difficulty some days ago and was released from the hospital on Tuesday. He suffered a massive heart attack on Wednesday morning and died.
Born on February 26, 1945, Safwi was an alumnus of Aligarh Muslim University. An officer of the Indian Police Service, he served as the Deputy Commissioner of Detective Department, Deputy Inspector General (Presidency Range), Inspector General of Police (South Bengal) and retired as the Director General of Police (Fire and Emergency Services). He retired from service in 2005.
In 2009, he joined Trinamool Congress and supported the Singur movement launched by Mamata Banerjee. He was elected from Uluberia East Assembly constituency in 2011 and became a minister in Banerjee's cabinet.
In the 2016 election, he was re-elected from the same constituency and became the Deputy Speaker in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly.
As a politician, he maintained a cordial relationship with the ruling and opposition MLAs. He was very popular in his constituency.
As a police officer, he will be remembered for his integrity and alertness. As the DCDD (I), he had solved serial robberies that took place in Kolkata in 1988. He was the main person to arrest Idris Ali, the prime accused in the Vinod Mehta murder case. Mehta was DC Port and was brutally murdered in 1984.
