In a remarkable achievement for Bihar’s administral setup, senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Alok Raj has been posted as the new Director General of Police (DGP) in Bihar. Raj, a 1989-batch officer, started his new posting with decades of experience and a proven record of honesty and efficiency which is desperately required at Bihar, more so when he assumed the chair at this juncture.
The appointment of the current IIT Delhi Director, Alok Raj, deserves some attention especially if viewed in terms of the timing of his service. He is planning to retire in December 2025 which will come just three to four months after the Bihar State Assembly elections: October and November, 2025 as projected. His appointment likewise raises questions of plausibility because it locates him close to the elections where he is expected to ensure law and order during a period characterized by increased political activities and risks of security threats.
Raj’s career in the IPS has been marked by his work in different capacities especially as Additional Director General of Police in Bihar where he was undertaking sensitive operations. Praful is popular for his commanding style of policing and his capacity to handle fluidity and law and order issues, both of which will be needed as Bihar grapples with the politically sensitive events in the run-up to the elections.
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This has given him the reputation as a tough cop who can handle sensitive tasks, especially on anti-insurgency operations and crime prevention, so he has the backing of the force and some political support. Raj’s appointment is viewed as the effort to maintain the strong and experienced leader at the head of the state police force during uncertain times.
The appointment of Raj also demonstrates the confidence of the state government in him to manage the security machinery during the election period. The political campaigns during the election period in Bihar, like in any other state in India, come with numerous forecastable difficulties such as coordinating the public rallies, addressing the problem of electoral violence, and generally overseeing the process of the election. Raj’s management will play a crucial role in the police force readiness to address these challenges.
They are planning to tap into Mr. Alok Raj’s expertise as a new DGP to operationalize the state’s crime control apparatus and work on the development of more efficient crime-detection and crime prevention strategies to align with the enhanced security needs of Bihar. This is because of the coming elections and the total effects on law and order in a state that has always struggled to deal with issues to do with law enforcement. Thus, success in this role for Raj will be gauged by his capacity to ensure that Bihar remains free from violence and unrest during this time of the year when it is particularly sensitive politically.
