The Chhattisgarh Police has reacted to a viral video showing woman IPS officer Ankita Sharma (IPS:2018:CG) firing an AK-47 rifle during a traditional weapon-worship (Shastra Puja) ritual on Dussehra in Rajnandgaon. She is currently serving as Rajnandgaon SP.
Taking serious cognisance of the matter, the police headquarters on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to her.
The viral video showed Sharma, dressed in a saree, firing several rounds from an AK-47 into the air after the weapon-worship ritual. The video triggered a heated debate on social media over safety, discipline and weapon-handling protocols.
Rajnandgaon Range Inspector General Ajay Yadav (IPS:2004:CG) is reported to have admitted that Sharma fired the rifle after the traditional ‘Shastra Puja’ at Police Lines on October 20, on the occasion of Vijayadashami.
According to media reports, Yadav said that the headquarters had sought clarification over the apparent disregard for safety protocols, as negative comments on the viral video were damaging the dignity of the police force.
He is reportedly to have said that he would record his observations after receiving Sharma’s reply and forward the matter to the police headquarters. “Further action will be taken in accordance with the directions received from there,” the IG is quoted as saying.
But it was not an isolated incident. Even Rajnandgaon’s Additional SP Kirtan Rathore was seen firing an AK-47 after her in another video.
further, videos showing police personnel firing weapons after the ritual also came from other districts, including Raipur, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Durg, Kabirdham and Bastar.
Former IPS officers are also divided on the issue. A former IPS officer was of the view that firing should be carried out only at a safe location and with adequate precautions. He says the tradition is to worship weapons, not to fire them.
At the same time, another IPS officer is quoted as saying that firing blank rounds, commonly known as ‘awazi kartoos’, is part of the Shastra Puja tradition which is followed across the state. According to him, live ammunition is not used on such occasions.
Similarly, a retired Indian Army officer K J S Dhillon raised concerns over the way the weapons were fired, saying it was dangerously incorrect handling of a loaded weapon.
Another user, identifying himself as Colonel Deepak Kumar, also described the act as reckless and unprofessional, and questioned the woman officer’s handling of the rifle after firing.
It is not that Sharma has no supporters. Many social media users have defended her, arguing that the incident should not overshadow her professional record. Another user says she is a trained IPS officer and that criticism targeting her was partly due to her firing the rifle while wearing a saree.
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