PATNA, Feb. 28 -- The Bihar home department has issued an order requiring police officials to take prior permission from the government before prosecuting any on-duty police personnel, wherever they are posted in the state.

The move is being described as "operational clarity and legal protection" at the administrative level. The home department has issued a notification in this regard. The notification is said to be related to the recent attempt by the Andhra Pradesh police to arrest a 2005 batch Bihar cadre IPS officer M Sunil Kumar Naik.

In the notification, issued by joint secretary Amlendu Kumar Singh, it is made clear that members of all classes and categories of Bihar Police, who have been entrusted with the charge of maintaining ...