A GROWING TREND OF POLICE OFFICERS IN BIHAR

A GROWING TREND OF POLICE OFFICERS IN BIHAR

9-NOV-ENG 1

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

PATNA--------------------------Talk of former IPS officer Kamya Mishra entering politics has gained momentum following her meeting with Sanjay Jha, the national working president of the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)). However, neither Kamya Mishra nor the party has made any official announcement regarding her entry into politics. Sanjay Jha described the meeting as a courtesy call to exchange Diwali greetings. Nevertheless, the emergence of a photograph from the meeting has fueled speculation in political circles: is Kamya Mishra set to leave the police force and embark on a political career?

Kamya Mishra, a 2019-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, carved a distinct reputation for herself while serving as the Superintendent of Police (SP) for Darbhanga Rural. During this time, she earned the moniker "Lady Singham." She resigned from her position in August 2024, and her resignation was accepted in March 2025. Her recent meeting with Sanjay Jha in Patna on November 6, 2026, has once again brought her into the spotlight.

This is not the first instance in Bihar where an IPS officer has left the police service to pursue a path in politics. Several officers have previously traded their khaki uniforms for the electoral arena. While some went on to become MLAs and ministers, others faced defeat at the polls. Some even formed their own political parties, though they did not achieve electoral success.

Among those who successfully transitioned from the police service to politics is Sunil Kumar, a 1987-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre. During his tenure, he held several key positions—including serving as the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Patna—and eventually rose to the rank of Director General (DG).

Following his retirement, he joined the JD(U). In 2020, he contested the election from the Bhore assembly constituency and emerged victorious. Following this, he was appointed as the Education Minister of Bihar. He also emerged victorious in the 2025 Legislative Assembly elections. Thus, after his tenure in the police service, Sunil Kumar successfully established a strong identity for himself in politics as well.

Anand Mishra is another former IPS officer who transitioned from the police force into politics. A 2011-batch IPS officer from the Assam-Meghalaya cadre, he earned a reputation as a strict officer during his time in the police service.

In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, he contested from the Buxar constituency as an independent candidate but was unsuccessful. Subsequently, he joined the BJP. For the 2025 Legislative Assembly elections, the party fielded him as their candidate from Buxar. This time, he secured a victory by a margin of over 28,000 votes and became a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA).

In Bihar, Shivdeep Lande is well-known as a prominent police officer. A 2006-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, he is often referred to as "Singham" or a "supercop."

He took Voluntary Retirement from Service (VRS) in September 2024 and later, in April 2025, founded his own political party, "Hind Sena." He contested the 2025 Legislative Assembly elections from the Jamalpur constituency as an independent candidate but faced defeat, finishing in third place. Although he enjoyed significant popularity during his police career, it did not translate into electoral success.

Former Bihar DGP Gupteshwar Pandey also garnered considerable attention for his entry into politics. A 1987-batch IPS officer, he frequently made headlines during his tenure as DGP due to his involvement in various high-profile cases.

In 2020, he took VRS and joined the Janata Dal (United) (JD(U)). He had hoped to contest the Legislative Assembly elections but did not receive a ticket from the party. Following this, he distanced himself from active electoral politics and turned toward spirituality. Rakesh Kumar Mishra, a 1986-batch IPS officer from the Bihar cadre, also transitioned from the police service to politics. During his career, he rose to the ranks of Additional Director General (ADG) and Director General (DG). A gold medalist from IIT BHU, Mishra later joined Prashant Kishor’s Jan Suraaj party.

In the 2025 assembly elections, he contested from the Darbhanga constituency but could not secure a victory, finishing in third place.

Jai Prakash Singh, a 2000-batch IPS officer, served in the Himachal Pradesh cadre, reaching the rank of ADG. He later took voluntary retirement (VRS) and joined the Jan Suraaj party.

A native of Bihar, Jai Prakash Singh tried his luck in the 2025 assembly elections from the Chhapra constituency but was unsuccessful.

Braj Kishore Ravi, also known as B.K. Ravi, is a former Director General of Police (DGP) of Tamil Nadu. He hails from the Samastipur district of Bihar. In the 2025 assembly elections, the Congress party fielded him as a candidate from the Rosera constituency. He secured approximately 70,000 votes but finished in second place, falling short of victory.

Former Bihar DGP D.P. Ojha also ventured into politics. A 1967-batch IPS officer, he gained prominence during his police service for taking strict action against the strongman MP from Siwan, Mohammad Shahabuddin.

In 2004, he contested the Lok Sabha elections from Begusarai as an independent candidate but did not succeed. He has since passed away.

Former Bihar DGP Ashish Ranjan Sinha also entered politics following his retirement. He initially joined the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and later became a member of the Congress. In 2014, he contested the Nalanda Lok Sabha seat but failed to win.

He served during the tenures of Lalu Prasad Yadav and Rabri Devi, as well as during the administration of Nitish Kumar. also served as DGP.

Among the former IPS officers from Bihar, Nikhil Kumar and Lalit Vijay Singh are notable figures who achieved significant success in politics.

Nikhil Kumar served as the Commissioner of Police, Delhi. Later, he contested and won the Aurangabad Lok Sabha seat on a Congress party ticket. Subsequently, he was also appointed as a Governor.

Similarly, Lalit Vijay Singh transitioned from the police service to politics. He was elected as a Member of Parliament from Begusarai and served as a Union Minister of State in the government led by Chandra Shekhar.

The 2025 Bihar Legislative Assembly elections also saw a trend of former IPS officers entering the political arena. At least six former IPS officers contested the elections—some representing various political parties, while others ran as independent candidates. Of these, only Sunil Kumar and Anand Mishra emerged victorious, while the others faced defeat.

Now, following a meeting between Kamya Mishra and Sanjay Jha, discussions have once again surfaced regarding the entry of former IPS officers into Bihar’s political landscape. However, there has been no official announcement yet regarding her potential entry into politics. It remains to be seen whether this ‘Lady Singham’ will choose a path in politics or pursue a different course of her own.