The latest among them is 2006-batch IPS officer Shivdeep Wamanrao Lande. Popularly known as Bihar’s ‘Singham’, he resigned from the service attributing personal reasons.

Earlier last month, 2019-batch IPS officer Kamya Mishra, who was posted as Superintendent of Police (Rural) for Darbhanga had resigned from the service also citing personal reasons.

Mishra, an Odisha native, had investigated the gruesome murder case of Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) chief Mukesh Sahni’s father. Her husband, Awadhesh Saroj Dixit, is also an IPS officer of the Bihar cadre.

To select future officers for police, administration, foreign services and others, the civil services examination conducted every year by the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) is one of the toughest recruitment screening processes. Yet, many civil servants who serve as IPS and IAS officers resign from their prestigious jobs.

Lande, who hails from Akola district in Maharashtra, resigned from service last Thursday, but announced that he would remain in Bihar, which has been his ‘karmabhoomi’ (place of work).

In a post on social media site X, Lande said, “My dear Bihar, I’ve resigned from my position after giving my service in the government position for the last 18 years. I considered Bihar up above my family and me during all these years. I apologise if anything has been done wrong while being a public servant. Today I have resigned from the IPS but I will remain in Bihar and Bihar will be my karmabhoomi in future too.”

Soon after his resignation announcement, Lande talked to reporters in Purnia, the place of his posting as Inspector General of Police (IGP) and revealed that he had resigned due to personal reasons.

He was recently transferred from Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in Tirhut range, headquartered in Muzaffarpur, to the IGP of Purnia range. 

Lande acquired the nickname of ‘Singham’ and ‘Dabang’ when he was serving as Superintendent of Police (SP) in the state's capital of Patna.

He made headlines in local newspapers for his stern action against criminals. College-going girls showed immense respect for his tough actions against harassers or "eve-teasers".

In April 2015, Lande made the news as the SP of Rohtas district for his stern action against illegal stone crusher units owned by mafias and local political heavyweights.

He had also served in Maharashtra for five years, holding various positions.

A retired IPS officer of the Bihar cadre said that the resignations of two senior police officers from the services within a short span of time does not augur well and sends a negative message about the work culture in the state.

Another officer said that both the government and the IPS fraternity should reflect on the reasons why young officers are relinquishing government services in such a short span of time. “Are there any other reasons or just ‘personal reasons’ as cited in their resignations?” he wondered.

Meanwhile, skeptics and keen observers of Bihar think that such sudden decisions to leave coveted jobs could be indicative of the officers' political ambitions.

With the recent emergence of Prashant Kishor, who is scheduled to announce the formation of the Jan Suraaj party on October 2, it is likely that his party may be their next stop. Kishor will take the plunge into the State Assembly election next year in October-November.

However, refuting the speculations about his future plans, Lande in another post on X said, “After my resignation on Thursday, some media people are trying to find out the possibility that I might be joining a political party. I am neither in talks with any political party nor am I going to join any party’s ideology.”