Video firing AK-47 on Dussehra goes viral, IPS officer gets show-cause notice

A senior IPS officer in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district has been served a show cause notice after a video showing her firing bullets into the air from an AK-47 rifle, dressed in a saree, during a traditional weapon-worship ritual on Dussehra received backlash on social media.

The incident took place during the “Shastra Puja” at Police Lines on October 20 on the occasion of Vijayadashami.

The video, featuring IPS officer Ankita Sharma, was shared widely on social media and aired on several news channels and web portals, triggering a debate on safety, discipline and weapon-handling protocols.

Rajnandgaon Range Inspector General of Police Ajay Yadav confirmed Sharma had received a show-cause notice. “Once I get her reply, I will send it, along with my note, to the seniors.”

A senior official, explaining the reason behind the show-cause notice, said, “The video went viral on social media and received negative traction. It was against the norms and safety rules and so we took cognizance and asked her to explain what were the circumstances…”

Incidentally, videos of multiple senior police officers across Chhattisgarh, including Raipur, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Durg, Kabirdham and Bastar, have surfaced where they were seen firing from rifles in the air on the same festive occasion as part of the weapon-worship ritual. “A senior officer firing a few rounds in air is seen as a good omen,” an official said.

When questioned if notices were sent to them too, a senior officer said, “No. We have just served notice to her (Sharma) because the video went viral on social media and has affected the police image. So, we have asked her to explain the situation.”

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Phone calls and messages to Sharma seeking her version went unanswered.

Retired IPS officer R K Vij told The Indian Express that firing should be carried out only at a safe location and with adequate precautions. Vij said, “The tradition is essentially about performing the worship of weapons, not firing them. Such firing carries the risk of accidents and should be avoided.”

Social media debate

Earlier in the day, pointing out “what all is wrong” in the video, Army Veteran KJS Dhillion wrote on X: “Dangerously incorrect handling of a loaded weapon, all aspects of safety of weapon handling violated, pointing a loaded weapon in all directions…”

Stating that people in the background were visibly terrified, he pointed out that the officer was: “Firing a service weapon for an unauthorised act in a non-authorised dress and that basic weapon handling drill (was) not adhered to”.

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Another social media user defended Sharma, saying on X that she was a trained IPS officer, adding the criticism targeting her partly stemmed from her firing the rifle while wearing a saree.

An IPS officer, requesting anonymity, said firing blank rounds, commonly known as ‘awazi kartoos’, was part of the Shastra Puja tradition followed across the state. But live ammunition is not used on such occasions, the officer added. Even a bullet fired into the air comes back down and can injure people in the vicinity, the officer added.