Bihar IPS Reshuffle: 17 Top Cops Transferred Amid Controversy Over AK-47 Firing During Siwan Student Protest

In a major administrative shake-up, the Bihar government has ordered the transfer and fresh posting of 17 Indian Police Service (IPS) officers across the state. The reshuffle includes key changes in districts like Bhojpur and Siwan, where recent police actions during student protests and law-and-order incidents had triggered severe political and public backlash.

Among the key changes, Siwan Superintendent of Police (SP) Puran Kumar Jha (2018 batch) has been removed and directed to report to the Bihar Police Headquarters in Patna while awaiting a new assignment. Bharat Soni, a 2019-batch IPS officer previously posted in Nalanda, has taken charge as the new SP of Siwan. Jha’s transfer follows intense scrutiny surrounding a student protest in Siwan where police personnel resorted to firing, including the controversial discharge of an assault rifle. Bihar Student Protests: Govt Tells Supreme Court Constable Fired AK-47 in Air After Being Trapped by Protesters.

In a parallel move, Bhojpur SP Mister Raj (2019 batch) has been shifted to Rohtas, with Awadhesh Dixit taking over as the new SP of Bhojpur. Mister Raj’s tenure came under heavy public and political heat after the contentious Bharat Tiwari encounter, which led to allegations of police misconduct made by the deceased's family.

Simultaneously, the state government has submitted a counter-affidavit before the Supreme Court regarding the Siwan student protest firing. Responding to petitions alleging police brutality, the state denied using "disproportionate force" and clarified that Constable Abhishek Kumar fired four rounds in the air from his AK-47 only after getting trapped and surrounded by a crowd near JP Chowk.

In its affidavit, the government stressed that "no one was injured by the AK-47 bullets" and admitted that the assault rifle—a platoon-level weapon intended for special operations—should not have been used in standard law-and-order management. The state further informed the top court that the constable was placed under suspension for "undesired conduct" and faces departmental proceedings. It added that three minor firearm injuries reported during the protest were caused separately by an Assistant Sub-Inspector firing a 9mm pistol to disperse a mob at a different location. Siwan AK-47 Row: Bihar Police Say Suspended Constable Fired in Air To Protect Lives and Govt Property.

The police overhaul also coincides with a broader administrative cleanup by the state administration, which executed a sweeping transfer of District Magistrates (DMs) across 17 districts—including Siwan and Bhojpur—just hours prior.

Other key IPS postings in the new lineup include Anil Kumar (2010 batch) as DIG of Prohibition and Narcotics Task Force (NNTF), Mrityunjay Kumar Chaudhary (2010 batch) as DIG Civil Defence, and Rajiv Ranjan-2 (2012 batch) as DIG of the Special Vigilance Unit. Additionally, Hriday Kant (2015 batch) steps in as SP of Nalanda, while Roshan Kumar (2019 batch) assumes charge as Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) of Saran.

State officials maintained that these extensive reshuffles and court compliance measures are aimed at enforcing administrative accountability and restoring public trust in key districts.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 18, 2026 05:14 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).