IPS Shalin is a 2001-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Bihar cadre, widely known for his work in Bihar Police, his stint in the Special Protection Group (SPG), and later in the National Security Guard (NSG). In 2025, he was appointed Inspector General (IG) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on central deputation, marking another key milestone in a career spread across law & order, counter-terror, and VVIP security.
Early Life and Education
Publicly available information about IPS Shalin’s early life is limited, but a lot of what we know comes from his own published writing and media coverage.
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He is originally from Punjab and often describes himself as a “Punjabi officer in the Bihar cadre,” reflecting how deeply he identifies with the state he serves. (www.ndtv.com)
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He studied engineering at Roorkee (now IIT Roorkee). In a widely read blog on NDTV, he recalls being an “aimless” engineering student who found encouragement and direction through his Bihari friends at college. (www.ndtv.com)
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After graduation, he briefly worked as a management trainee in a private firm, before quitting the corporate job to prepare for the Civil Services Examination along with his friends in Delhi’s Jia Sarai area. (www.ndtv.com)
These experiences shaped his worldview: he often credits the people of Bihar for “saving” him and helping transform a directionless student into an IPS officer, which later inspired his famous essay on Bihar and Biharis. (www.ndtv.com)
UPSC Journey and Entry into IPS
Encouraged by his Bihari friends, Shalin prepared for the UPSC Civil Services Examination and successfully cleared it, getting allocated to the Indian Police Service (IPS) with Bihar as his cadre. (www.ndtv.com)
He has described this phase as one filled with self-doubt and low confidence, but sustained by the faith and support of his peer group. That emotional and intellectual bond with Bihar students and aspirants is a recurring theme in his later writings and speeches. (www.ndtv.com)
Early Postings in Bihar: Munger & Patna
As a young IPS officer in the Bihar cadre, Shalin held several district and range-level posts:
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SP, Munger – One of his early crucial assignments was as Superintendent of Police (SP) in Munger district. Media reports highlight his efforts to modernise policing and tackle local law-and-order challenges. (Jagran)
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City SP, Patna (2004) – He served as City SP in Patna relatively early in his career, giving him exposure to the complexities of policing the state capital. (Jagran)
In these roles, he developed a reputation for being hands-on, non-compromising on crime, and tough on corruption inside the police force itself, a trait that would define his later postings too. (Jagran)
DIG Patna (Central Range): Public Campaigns and High-Profile Cases
Shalin came into wider public prominence when he took over as Deputy Inspector General (DIG), Patna Central Range, around the time of a Bihar Assembly election. (Jagran)
Anti-corruption and Land-Mafia Action
On returning to Patna as DIG after about a decade, he:
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Ordered strict action against corrupt policemen, especially those colluding in land disputes and bribery.
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Reopened pending files against builders and land mafias, pushing for action where local police had been reluctant. (Jagran)
He publicly emphasised that both officers and constables would be judged strictly on performance, and that any laxity in crime control or investigation would not be tolerated. (Jagran)
Road Safety and Helmet Campaign
A tragic road accident in which a school student without a helmet lost his life deeply affected him. After personally rushing the injured students to hospital, Shalin launched an aggressive helmet-enforcement and traffic safety drive in Patna. (Jagran)
Within months, media reports noted that wearing helmets became almost a habit for two-wheeler riders in the city, with visible change on the streets credited to this sustained campaign. (Jagran)
Women’s Safety and Self-Defence for Girls
Under his leadership, Patna Police started a focused campaign against eve-teasing and harassment of school and college girls. Key elements included: (Jagran)
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Regular police presence near parks, coaching centres, markets and bus stands.
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Direct engagement with girls’ schools where Shalin himself spoke to students and encouraged them to learn self-defence and report harassment without fear.
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Strict instructions to SHOs and DSPs to treat molestation and harassment as serious crimes, not minor issues.
Role in the Rajballabh Yadav Case
In 2016, Shalin played a central role in the high-profile rape case involving RJD MLA Rajballabh Yadav. As DIG (Patna Range):
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He oversaw the investigation and stated that the victim’s allegations were found prima facie true.
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He ordered seizure of the MLA’s weapons, vehicles, and relevant licences, and issued directions for his arrest. (The Pioneer)
The case was politically sensitive and controversial, but Shalin’s approach was widely seen as firm and by-the-book, reinforcing his image as a no-nonsense officer.
Patna Boat Tragedy Probe
After a boat tragedy near Patna in which 24 people lost their lives, the Bihar government tasked DIG Patna Shalin and senior IAS officer Pratyaya Amrit with probing the incident and submitting findings to the Chief Minister. (The Times of India)
SPG: Protecting Prime Ministers
Before his DIG Patna tenure, Shalin served in the Special Protection Group (SPG), the elite force responsible for the security of the Prime Minister. (Jagran)
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He served in the inner security ring of SPG, providing close protection first to former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and later to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, including on foreign visits. (Jagran)
This high-trust assignment strengthened his profile as an officer capable of handling high-risk, high-responsibility security duties at the national level.
NSG Tenure: From DIG to IG
After his work in Patna, the Ministry of Home Affairs decided to utilise his experience in counter-terrorism.
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Around 2017, Shalin was deputed to the National Security Guard (NSG) in Delhi as a Deputy Inspector General (DIG). Hindi media reports described him as one of Bihar’s most “talked-about IPS officers” now entrusted with a key NSG role. (Zee News)
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During his NSG stint, he also participated in discussions on police reforms and specialised training, including highlighting the need for domain expertise in niche policing areas, as referenced in a Common Cause paper where he appears as DIG, NSG. (Common Cause)
Later, he rose to the rank of Inspector General (IG), NSG, a fact noted when another officer was appointed IG NSG “vice 2001 batch IPS officer Shalin of Bihar cadre, completing tenure on 21.03.2024”. (Indian Masterminds)
Return to Bihar: IG ATS & IG Security
After completing his NSG tenure, Shalin returned to his parent cadre, Bihar:
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He was posted as IG, Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), Bihar Police, responsible for counter-terror operations, intelligence coordination and anti-radicalisation efforts in the state. (Legend Officers)
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He simultaneously held additional charge as IG, Security, Bihar, looking after security arrangements for VIPs, key installations and major public events. (Indian Masterminds)
This combination of ATS and Security portfolios shows the level of trust the state placed in his strategic and operational abilities.
2025: IG, CRPF – Central Deputation
In 2025, the Government of India moved to bring Shalin back to a central post:
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The Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) waived the usual “cooling-off” period to enable his central deputation. (Indian Masterminds)
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A formal order from the Ministry of Home Affairs on 2 April 2025 appointed Shri Shalin, IPS (BH:2001), as Inspector General (Level-14) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on deputation basis and asked the Bihar government to relieve him immediately.
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Bihar Home Department subsequently relieved him; media in Bihar and national bureaucracy trackers highlighted his move as a significant step in strengthening CRPF’s operational leadership. (Jagran)
As IG, CRPF, Shalin is now expected to bring his combined experience of field policing, SPG security, NSG counter-terror work, and ATS leadership to one of India’s largest central armed police forces.
Writing & Public Image
Celebrated Article on Bihar
Shalin is unusual among IPS officers in that he has written a widely circulated essay titled “I Was A Useless Punjabi Boy. Bihar Saved Me”, published by NDTV in 2017, while he was DIG Patna. (www.ndtv.com)
In that piece he:
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Narrates his journey from an academically weak engineering student to an IPS officer.
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Credits his Bihari friends and the culture of patience, warmth and inclusiveness in Bihar for transforming his life.
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Strongly counters negative stereotypes about Bihar and Biharis, arguing that the average Bihari is aware, sharp, courageous and genuinely pan-Indian in outlook.
Hindi media like Zee News later ran stories summarising “what this IPS officer Shalin wrote about Bihar,” underlining how much discussion the article generated. (Zee News)
Style of Policing
From multiple reports, Shalin’s professional style can be summarised as: (Jagran)
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Tough on crime, but approachable to citizens.
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Focused on systemic clean-up within the force; not hesitant to act against corrupt police personnel.
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Strong believer in public campaigns – helmets, road safety, women’s safety, self-defence training.
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Comfortable with media and public communication, whether through blogs, interviews, or direct outreach to students.
Controversies
As of now, there are no major personal corruption or misconduct controversies in the public domain linked directly to IPS Shalin.
However, he has been involved in controversial or politically sensitive cases as an investigating officer or supervisory officer, for example:
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The rape case against RJD MLA Rajballabh Yadav, where he ordered strong measures, including seizure of assets and licences, and pushed for arrest. (The Pioneer)
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The Patna boat tragedy probe, involving 24 deaths, where he was assigned to investigate possible lapses along with senior IAS officers. (The Times of India)
In all such instances, available reporting portrays him as an investigator rather than an accused, with his name appearing in the context of official duty.
Top Interesting Facts about IPS Shalin
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Bihar “saved” him – He openly admits that he was an underperforming engineering student until his Bihari friends encouraged him to attempt UPSC and supported him through preparation. (www.ndtv.com)
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Punjabi by origin, Bihari at heart – Though from Punjab, he has become one of the most recognisable faces of the Bihar IPS and a vocal defender of Bihar’s reputation. (www.ndtv.com)
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Has protected two Prime Ministers – He has been part of the inner SPG security ring for Dr. Manmohan Singh as well as Narendra Modi, a rare distinction. (Jagran)
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From Patna DIG to NSG Commando leadership – His career spans roles from DIG Patna to DIG/IG NSG, and now IG CRPF, covering the full spectrum from urban policing to elite counter-terror operations. (Zee News)
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Known for helmet revolution in Patna – His intense traffic enforcement campaign after a student’s death made helmet-wearing almost universal in Patna city, according to local media. (Jagran)
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Advocate of specialised training – In policy discussions, he has stressed the importance of domain-specific training for specialised police wings like NSG, going beyond generic policing courses. (Common Cause)
FAQs about IPS Shalin (Bihar)
Q1. Who is IPS Shalin?
A. IPS Shalin is a 2001-batch IPS officer of the Bihar cadre, known for his roles as SP Munger, City SP Patna, DIG Patna Central Range, SPG officer for Prime Ministers, DIG/IG in the NSG, IG ATS & Security in Bihar, and now IG in CRPF on central deputation. (Jagran)
Q2. What is the current posting of IPS Shalin?
A. As per a 2 April 2025 order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Shalin has been appointed Inspector General (IG) in the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on deputation, and the Bihar government has relieved him for central posting.
Q3. Has IPS Shalin been involved in any major cases?
A. Yes. He supervised the rape case involving RJD MLA Rajballabh Yadav, led several anti-crime and anti-land-mafia drives in Patna, steered road safety and women’s safety campaigns, and was part of the probe into the Patna boat tragedy. (Jagran)
Q4. What is IPS Shalin’s educational background?
A. He studied engineering at Roorkee (now IIT Roorkee). In his NDTV blog, he recalls being a final-year engineering student when he joined a group of Bihari friends whose influence eventually pushed him towards the Civil Services. (www.ndtv.com)
Q5. Is IPS Shalin from Bihar?
A. No, he is originally from Punjab, but he belongs to the Bihar IPS cadre and repeatedly states that Bihar and Biharis played a crucial role in his personal and professional growth. (www.ndtv.com)
Q6. Was IPS Shalin ever posted in NSG and SPG?
A. Yes. He served in the Special Protection Group (SPG) providing close security to Prime Ministers, and later in the National Security Guard (NSG) as DIG and then IG, before returning to Bihar and subsequently moving to the CRPF as IG. (Jagran)

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