Bihar engineering graduate arrested for impersonating IPS officer attached to NIA

Police in Darbhanga district of north Bihar have arrested a man, who, posing as an IPS probationer working with the national investigation agency (NIA), mislead the cops into carrying out a ‘mission’ with no official sanction.

The man, identified as Avinash Kumar Mishra, a native of Pator village under Ashok Paper Mills (APM) police station of Darbhanga district, was booked for impersonation on Thursday on a complaint filed by officer-in-charge of Pator OP.

On November 20, Mishra came to the APM police station in a car, wearing the uniform and badge of an IPS officer. He reportedly told the police that he was an IPS probationer posted in the NIA and that he wanted APM police, along with Pator OP personnel, to carry out an immediate raid.

The impersonator told the police the raid was meant for nabbing those involved in a recent shoot out that took place at Surhachatti village, 14 km south of the divisional headquarters town ofDarbhanga.

The police readily obliged and headed straightaway to the spot, accompanied by this ‘NIA cop’ but soon realised they had been taken for a ride. By that time, Mishra had given them a slip and escaped from the spot.

Officer-in-charge of APM police station Dilip Pathak told HT that the suspect had been arrested on the charge of impersonation.

The culprit, Avinash, is the only son of Pator native Shobhakant Mishra, a grade four employee of PHED, posted at Laheriasarai. Mishra told the police that his son had been suffering from ‘bouts of depression’ of late. But he failed to produce any doctor’s prescription or certificate to support this claim.

During his interrogation, Avinash, an engineering graduate in his early twenties, is said to have told the police that he nurtured a dream to become an IPS officer. Failing to realize his dream, Mishra decided to impersonate an IPS officer.

According to Darbhanga SSP Satyaveer Singh, the accused procured a police uniform from a tailoring shop.

Police sources further said Avinash was currently living in Patna and he was giving private tuition to students.