A viral video showing a seemingly trigger-happy young woman IPS officer firing an AK-47 rifle, while wearing a saree, during Shastra Puja ritual on Dussehra in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district has triggered a heated debate on social media over issues related to safety and discipline. While some users criticised her act, others defended the young woman IPS officer, but the debate is on.
The IPS officer concerned is Ankita Sharma (IPS:2018:CG), currently posted as Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police (SP) in Chhattisgarh.
The incident took place during a traditional ‘Shastra Puja’ (weapon worship) ritual at Police Lines in Rajnandgaon city on Vijayadashami. Police weapons as well as vehicles are worshipped on this occasion.
The viral video shows Sharma, dressed in a saree, firing several rounds from an AK-47. But it was not an isolated incident.
Even Additional SP Kirtan Rathore was also seen firing an AK-47 after her in another video.
Videos showing police personnel firing weapons after the ritual also came from other districts, including Raipur, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Durg, Kabirdham and Bastar.
Deputy Chief Minister reacted to the incident, saying the state government would take cognisance of the matter.
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 raises 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 finds 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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