Patna, Nov. 2: The retirement of three officers in the rank of director-general (DG) in quick succession has set off a race for the coveted posts.

Of the six sanctioned posts in the DG rank, three are vacant because of superannuation of Manoje Nath, V. Nayarayan and Ashok Kumar Gupta.

Nath (1973 batch) retired from service as DG-cum-commandant-general of homeguard and fire services on June 30. V. Narayanan and Ashok Kumar Gupta (both 1977 batch officers) superannuated as DG (training) and DG-cum-chief managing director of the Bihar Police Building Construction Corporation on July 31 and October 31, respectively.

Another post of DG fell vacant after Shafi Alam (1977 batch) was relieved for central deputation and was posted as DG of the National Crime Record Bureau in New Delhi. At present, the state has only two officers of DG rank — Abhayanand (DGP) and R.C. Sinha. Four posts are vacant.

Sources said the officers’ retirement would facilitate the promotion of three additional director-general (ADG)-rank officers — Ambarik Singh Nimbran, Krishna Choudhary and A.C. Verma (all 1979 batch) — to the DG rank.

While Nimbran is posted with the CID, Choudhary is holding the charge of Bihar Police Academy director. Verma is at present posted as ADG (training) at the police headquarters.

Two other IPS officers — P.K. Thakur and Sunit Kumar (both 1980 batch) — may also be promoted to the DG rank. Sources in the home department said the names of three officers had been sent for vigilance clearance, which is mandatory before any promotion.

Sources said the government promoted four IPS officers — R.K. Mishra (1986 batch). Sunil Kumar, Gupteshwar Pandey and Dinesh Singh Bist (all 1987 batch) — to the rank of ADG. While three officers are posted at the police headquarters, Pandey is working at Muzaffarpur.