Ex-Bihar DGP DP Ojha, who took on Shahabuddin, dies at 82

Patna: Former Bihar DGP DP Ojha, who took on notorious gangster Mohammed Shahabuddin, died on Friday following a prolonged illness.

Ojha, 82, died at his residence in Patna.

A 1967-batch IPS officer, he was appointed the DGP on February 1, 2003.

Known as a "no-nonsense" police officer, Ojha made headlines in 2003 when he initiated action against Shahabuddin, an MP of the then-ruling RJD.

He had submitted a report to the state government that listed, among other things, the MP's links with Pakistan-based outfits. Immediately after the report was filed, he was removed from the post on December 6, 2003, a few months ahead of his retirement in February 2004.

The most dreaded gangster-turned-politician of Bihar of his time, Shahabuddin had remained unbeaten in his stronghold of Siwan until his conviction in a murder case in 2007 which led to his disqualification.

Shahabuddin died in 2021 in Delhi's Tihar jail where he was serving a life sentence for murder.