The Bihar cop who captured the state’s most dangerous criminal is back with a new fiction thriller, Police Affairs. Meet Amit Lodha, an alumnus of IIT Delhi and author of the bestselling Bihar Diaries: The True Story of How Bihar’s Most Dangerous Criminal Was Caught. That book inspired the blockbuster Netflix series Khakee: The Bihar Chapter, and now his latest work is generating adaptation buzz.
• By Ambica Gulati
In Police Affairs, Lodha takes us into the life of Arjun Kumar, a meritorious police officer with a “perfect” life — a decorated career, two children, and a sweetheart for a wife, Charu. But fate intervenes when Kumar meets a young singer, Madhushree. It’s a fatal attraction, one that culminates in a flaming desire for a cosy night in a plush Delhi hotel, where he is on an official trip.
Leaving Madhushree in the hotel room, Kumar goes for his meeting with the higher-ups. On return, he discovers a deadly trap and ends up calling his sole confidante—the woman he would have betrayed: his wife. From there, it’s a high-stakes plunge into the world of secret burials, blackmail, and more.
Kumar’s world now swings like a pendulum, between an embarrassing confrontation with his wife, efforts to prove his innocence without damaging his career, and stopping an assassination plot on the Prime Minister. The high-octane drama is filled with blood-curdling terrorist encounters, sabotaging colleagues, a sharp sleuth for a wife, and friends who lead you astray. Given the easy, colloquial writing and events based on Lodha’s personal experiences and news events, the book is pacy and relatable for the Indian reader.
In a conversation with Amit Lodha, I discovered more about policing and his writing. Excerpts:
Khakee: The Bihar Chapter changed the way people look at Bihar police and gang encounters. How does it feel to see your life on screen? Were you involved with the scripting, shooting, or any decisions related to filming?
Director Neeraj Pandey and his team did a really good job. I didn’t have a role in the scripting or the making of the series. I saw it 15 days before the release. It felt odd to see my own life on screen, almost like being in another world. The series did trace my journey from joining the force to capturing the criminal, named Chandan Mahto in the series. However, that journey took me eight years, and Sheikhpura was my third district posting.
From penning non-fiction to fiction, how different are the two genres?
Penning my experiences was easy because it was personal. That was my reality. As a police officer, I have been privy to situations involving criminal conspiracies, terrorism, beefing up security for VIP visits, and walking the tightrope between familial relationships and dangerous people. All these experiences have shaped the fictionalised story of Police Affairs. I enjoyed writing it, giving it a shape, and it flowed seamlessly as it progressed.
Personally, I found a different approach to some things in Police Affairs. I found the wife, Charu, to be smarter than her police officer husband, Arjun. You’ve mentioned many weapons as well, going beyond the better-known AK-47, quite unlike many Indian crime stories.
I really didn’t think about all these things when penning the story. Weapons are the most important tools in a brush with law enforcement agencies and criminals, so it seemed natural to write about them.
On the character of Charu, as the daughter of an IPS officer and married to an IPS officer, crime was part and parcel of her daily life. Added to that was a woman’s intuition and her nose for sensing changes in her husband’s behaviour and activities. I felt a woman’s sharp instincts made the story more humane. Smart women are all around us.
On the plot, I have often seen how ageing changes perceptions, and one does fall into traps time and again. The story is focused on the intersection of public image, prestigious careers, and dangerous missions. A high-profile serving police officer has to be very careful, as the uniform demands discipline.
Police Affairs is less prose and more dialect. Do you feel the use of regional dialect and colloquial language makes a book more inviting?
I think local flavours add to the charm of reading. Regional dialect makes people relatable and rooted in culture at the same time.
Picking up on real-life scenarios, do police officers often get death threats?
I would say it’s a professional hazard.
On the back cover of Police Affairs, director Neeraj Pandey says, “Full-on screaming for an adaptation.” Is Police Affairs ready for OTT?
There are talks of serialising the book for OTT. You’ll have to keep an ear out for announcements, because showbiz takes time.
It has been a long path from Bihar Diaries: The True Story of How Bihar’s Most Dangerous Criminal Was Caught to Police Affairs. How would you describe this journey?
Like every human being, I have had my share of good and difficult times. These experiences have shaped my perspective as a police officer and a human being. Through Police Affairs, I am showing these phases, but all’s well that ends well. That’s my message to the readers.
When you wrote Bihar Diaries, did you ever imagine it would become such a massive success?
For me, writing a book was a box I ticked off my bucket list. When it was warmly received, I wrote the second one Life in the Uniform: Adventures of an IPS Officer in Bihar, and the third one Police Affairs is taking that journey forward.
Are you inspired by any international crime fiction writers?
I am a fan of Tom Clancy and Frederick Forsyth. The Day of the Jackal is among my favourite reads. I like characters in action.
In contrast with Western counterparts, crime fiction writers in India are relatively new entrants to the genre. There are dedicated crime fiction festivals across Europe, especially in Scotland. Do you feel India should also have one?
We do have an annual Crime Literature Festival of India, held in Dehradun. I am sure this will grow as crime fiction gains popularity in India.
Reels have replaced reading. What are your thoughts on this?
I believe we will always make time for the things we are passionate about. I read a lot during flights and whenever I get free time. But I do have a presence on social media to keep abreast of current affairs. Reading keeps my writing instincts alive; social media offers a different perspective. Reading and writing are intertwined. The more you read, the better you become at writing.
Defining some characters in crime fiction, what is the difference between a detective, a police officer, and a secret service agent?
Even under the same umbrella, these three perform different roles. Secret service agents are very different from police officers. Secret services are the eyes and ears of all kinds of criminal activity, across and within borders. Their work involves due diligence, collecting information, analysing it, and passing it on to senior officials or other government agencies.
Police officers work on preventing crime within a certain jurisdiction, take action against offenders, and support the government and civil machinery.
While detective agencies are licensed in the West, it is not a very lucrative profession in India. Private detectives are primarily hired for background checks of prospective marriage partners and their families. This profession is yet to surge here, as it currently lacks resources and support.
Crime has evolved with technology. Have you thought about writing a cybercrime story?
I like field operations and action. I think I would prefer to keep writing about that. It comes more naturally to me.
Any advice for aspiring crime fiction writers?
Be true to yourself and your story. Remain natural and be thorough in your research. Everyone experiences life differently and writes in their own way. Do what feels right for you, where your strengths lie. Evolve with your style.
About Amit Lodha
Amit Lodha is an IPS officer currently serving as ADGP of Bihar Police. He has been awarded the prestigious Police Medal for Gallantry and the Internal Security Medal for his work, as well as the Utkrisht Seva Medal and the President’s Medal for meritorious service. He has previously authored Bihar Diaries: The True Story of How Bihar’s Most Dangerous Criminal Was Caught (2018) and Life in the Uniform: Adventures of an IPS Officer in Bihar (2022).
Book Details
Publisher: Ebury Press (Penguin Random House India)
Language: English
Paperback: 288 pages
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