Patna, July 16: This cop shoots and composes with equal passion. He does so for his “adopted” home Bihar.

As a man in uniform Arvind Pandey has taken on hardcore Naxalites and served in several crime-affected places like Chatra, Palamau, Khagaria, Sahebganj and Gaya.

He is also perhaps the only officer, who “dared” to recommend an indictment of Lalu Prasad in the 2002 Rajdhani train accident that took 106 passengers’ lives.

But, this is only the tough side of the 1988 batch IPS office.

Originally hailing from Vindhyachal, Mirzapur, in Uttar Pradesh, the cop remains as strict as ever but the poet in him remains “one hundred per cent Bihari” who loves to pen musical tributes to his adopted state.

For now he has not written any chalisa or paean to his political bosses.

But, he has been composing and singing songs to “help restore the pride of Bihar and inculcate a sense of belonging in other officers serving in other parts of the country”.

A devout Mukesh fan, Pandey recently lent his voice to four songs for the album, Biharbhakti .

Last year, the police officer registered a group, Bihar Bhakti Andolan International with an aim to “build a culturally and scientifically, artistically” powerful Bihar.

While talking to the The Telegraph Pandey said: “The world has become weak spiritually. It needs immediate spiritual intervention. That can be possible with the revival of Bihar, which once had been the mainstay of cultural and spiritual movement, along with Bengal.”

Now posted as deputy inspector-general of police, National Crime Records Bureau, Pandey collects sundry crime data and nurses his poetic sensibilities with equal ardour.

He said: “I have been listening to old Hindi songs, ghazals, classical and semi-classical music since my childhood. I have a small orchestra group that specialises in songs from the past.”

Chhodo unki baaten,

Sunlo baat hamari,

Hum duniya ko preet sikhayen, humlog Bihari (Forget what others say, listen to us. We, Biharis, teach the world lessons of love).

Pandey further added that he invoked historical symbols of Rajgir, Nalanda, Bodh Gaya and Magadh to make people recall and then contribute their bit in creating a new Bihar.

If he believes that his words were not enough, then the officer resorts to yet another song testifying his love.

“Jaha Ganga-Gandak-Baghmati ki lahre geet sunaye,

Jaha Vidyapati ke geeton mein bahti raswanti dhara,

Apna Bihar to sabse pyara hai....” (Roughly translated it stands: Where Ganga, Gandak and Baghmati wave music and where flow mellifluous songs of Vidyapati, that Bihar is our dearest.)

Earlier, Pandey, who served as the DIG in the Naxalite-hit Magadh Range, also wrote songs to help wean ultras away from the path of terror and bloodshed.

The activities of Bihar Bhakti Andolan International — songs, poems and articles on Bihar — have evoked overwhelming response from his peers and juniors on the Internet.

Manoj Kumar Lall, serving as the DIG in the Intelligence Bureau, lauded Pandey’s efforts saying every police officer is a citizen first.

“Creating an emotional bond with positive intent is always welcome,” said Lall.

With him there are over 300 serving or retired police officers, who have written to Pandey, appreciating his efforts.