Bihar IPS reshuffle: Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha removed after AK-47 row
Synopsis
Bihar's sweeping IPS reshuffle on 18 August carries a pointed political edge: Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha, at the centre of an AK-47 student-protest controversy, has been removed — just one day before the RJD's Lok Bhawan March over the same incident. The timing makes this far more than a routine administrative exercise.
Key Takeaways
The Bihar government transferred multiple IPS officers on 18 August , covering batches from 2010 to 2022 .
Puran Kumar Jha ( 2018 batch ) has been removed as Siwan SP and posted to Bihar Police Headquarters, amid fallout from the 25 July AK-47 student-protest incident .
Bharat Soni ( 2019 batch ) has been appointed the new SP of Siwan .
Seven DIG-rank officers have been reshuffled across Prohibition, Vigilance, Civil Defence, Human Rights, and other units.
The RJD is scheduled to hold a Lok Bhawan March on 19 August over the Siwan incident, making the timing of Jha's removal politically significant.
The Bihar government on Tuesday, 18 August carried out a sweeping reshuffle of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers, transferring multiple Superintendents of Police (SPs) and Senior Superintendents of Police (SSPs) across the state and reshaping leadership in key wings including Prohibition, Vigilance, Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS), and Human Rights. The reshuffle spans officers from the 2010 to 2022 batches.
Siwan SP's Removal: The Most Watched Move
The most politically charged decision in the reshuffle is the transfer of Puran Kumar Jha (2018 batch), who has been removed as Superintendent of Police of Siwan and shifted to the Bihar Police Headquarters in Patna, where he awaits a fresh posting.
Jha's removal comes directly in the wake of the Siwan student-protest controversy, in which an AK-47 was allegedly deployed during an incident on 25 July. A constable was subsequently suspended, but the opposition had been pressing for action against senior police officials as well. The transfer is therefore expected to draw considerable political scrutiny.
Notably, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) had been making the Siwan incident a centrepiece of its 19 August Lok Bhawan March, a demonstration centred on student and youth-related concerns. Jha's removal, coming just a day before the march, is likely to be read as a political signal by both the ruling dispensation and the opposition.
DIG-Level Transfers Across Specialised Units
Anil Kumar (2010 batch), previously DIG, Finance and Technical Services, has been transferred as DIG, Prohibition and NNTF (Noose and Narcotics Task Force).
Mrityunjay Kumar Chaudhary (2010 batch), formerly DIG, Vigilance Investigation Bureau, moves to DIG, Civil Defence. Rajiv Ranjan-2 (2012 batch) shifts from DIG, Human Rights to DIG, Special Vigilance Bureau, while Ajay Kumar Pandey (2012 batch) takes over as DIG, Finance and Technical Services, vacating the Prohibition and NNTF post.
Amir Javed (2012 batch), previously DIG, Weaker Sections and Women's Cell, CID, has been appointed DIG, Vigilance Investigation Bureau. Mithilesh Kumar (2012 batch), formerly SP in the Economic Offences Unit (EOU), becomes Commandant, Bihar Special Armed Police-9, Jamalpur. Sushil Kumar (2012 batch) has been given additional charge of DIG, Human Rights, while continuing as DIG, Legal Affairs and Rules.
District Police Chiefs Reshuffled
Hriday Kant (2015 batch), previously with the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), has been appointed SP of Nalanda. Bharat Soni (2019 batch), who was SP of Nalanda, has been posted as the new SP of Siwan — the district at the centre of the AK-47 controversy.
Roshan Kumar (2019 batch), formerly SP of Rohtas, has been elevated to SSP of Saran. Raj (2019 batch), previously SP of Bhojpur, moves to SP of Rohtas. Awadhesh Dixit (2019 batch), formerly posted as SP (Personnel-1) at Bihar Police Headquarters, has been appointed SP of Bhojpur.
Garima (2022 batch), previously Commandant of Bihar Special Armed Police-9, Jamalpur, has been assigned as SP, Weaker Sections and Women's Cell, CID.
What This Reshuffle Signals
In scope and timing, the reshuffle is among the more significant police reorganisations Bihar has seen in recent months. It simultaneously addresses operational gaps in specialised units — Prohibition, Vigilance, ATS, Human Rights — while making politically sensitive district-level changes ahead of a major opposition mobilisation. The Bihar government has not issued a formal statement explaining the rationale behind individual transfers, which is standard practice for such orders.
All eyes will now be on whether the RJD proceeds with its 19 August Lok Bhawan March and how it frames Jha's removal — as accountability or as insufficient response to the Siwan incident.
Point of View
Rather than a suspension or inquiry, stops well short of the accountability the opposition has demanded. Bihar's pattern of managing political heat through administrative reshuffles rather than formal disciplinary proceedings means the underlying questions about the Siwan incident — who authorised the AK-47, and under what circumstances — remain unanswered. The new Siwan SP, Bharat Soni, inherits a district under a political microscope.
NationPress
18 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Siwan SP Puran Kumar Jha transferred in the Bihar IPS reshuffle?
Puran Kumar Jha was removed as Siwan SP following the controversy over the alleged use of an AK-47 during a student protest in Siwan on 25 July. A constable was suspended in the aftermath, but the opposition had been demanding action against senior officers as well. Jha has been posted to Bihar Police Headquarters in Patna, awaiting a fresh assignment.
Who is the new SP of Siwan after the Bihar reshuffle?
Bharat Soni, a 2019-batch IPS officer who was previously posted as SP of Nalanda, has been appointed the new Superintendent of Police of Siwan.
What is the RJD's Lok Bhawan March and how does it relate to the Siwan incident?
The RJD scheduled a Lok Bhawan March in Patna on 19 August over student and youth-related concerns, with the Siwan AK-47 incident serving as a central grievance. The march is aimed at pressing the Bihar government for accountability over the 25 July episode.
How many IPS officers were transferred in the Bihar reshuffle on 18 August?
The reshuffle covered officers from the 2010 to 2022 batches, including at least seven DIG-rank officers and multiple district SPs and SSPs. Key districts affected include Siwan, Nalanda, Saran, Rohtas, and Bhojpur, alongside changes in specialised units such as Prohibition, Vigilance, ATS, and Human Rights.
What was the AK-47 incident in Siwan that triggered political controversy?
During a student protest in Siwan on 25 July, an AK-47 was allegedly used by police personnel. A constable was subsequently suspended. The opposition, led by the RJD, demanded action against senior police officials, making it a focal point of political pressure on the Bihar government.
