Who is IPS Officer Ankita Sharma? How she sparked controversy with AK-47 firing during Vijayadashami Shastra Puja

IPS Officer Ankita Sharma is popularly known as ‘Lady Singham.’ She recently gained a lot of attention online after a video of her from Dussehra event went viral.

Senior IPS officer and the Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police (SP) Ankita Sharma went viral recently after a video of her firing an AK-47 during an event went viral. Clad in a saree, she fired multiple rounds at the police lines in Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh. She performed the traditional shastra puja on Dussehra and fired about nine rounds into the air, as per multiple reports.

IPS Ankita Sharma AK-47 firing controversy

The video has received mixed reactions. While some people on the internet praised her for her confidence, a section of people questioned the firearm safety, wondering how safe it was to fire off duty.

Who is IPS Ankita Sharma

Ankita Sharma hails from the 2018 batch of the Indian Police Service. She is a Chhattisgarh-cadre officer and is originally from Durg district in Chhattisgarh. She is popularly known as ‘Lady Singham’.

Sharma studied in the region before moving to Bhilai for graduation and postgraduation. She attended St Xavier’s School in Durg.

Her journey to the Indian Police Service was marked by academic struggles. She faced setbacks in the UPSC Civil Services Examination. According to reports, she scored just 5 out of 50 marks in mathematics in Class 5 and had to appear for a supplementary examination. She described herself as an average student during her early school years. Her approach towards studies changed in Class 9 after opting for commerce. Sharma reportedly went on to score 92% in her Class 10 examinations and 90% in Class 12.

After completing her graduation, she enrolled in an MBA programme but later quit to prepare for the UPSC Civil Services Examination.

Inspirational UPSC journey

Sharma’s UPSC journey involved two unsuccessful attempts before she cleared all rounds in 2018. In her first attempt, she reportedly missed qualifying for the next stage by 15 marks in the mains examination, while she could not clear the preliminary examination in her second attempt. She succeeded in her third attempt, securing All India Rank (AIR) 203 and entering the Indian Police Service.

Sharma began her policing career with her posting in Bhatapara and later served as City Superintendent of Police in Raipur’s Azad Chowk area. According to reports, she was appointed Superintendent of Police in Khairagarh in May 2022, becoming the district’s first woman SP. She has also been associated with policing operations in Naxal-affected areas of Chhattisgarh.

Her recent appearance during a Dussehra weapon worship ceremony has once again brought her into public attention.

Meanwhile, the Chhattisgarh Police has issued a show-cause notice to IPS Ankita Sharma in this matter.

About the Author

Sneha Biswas specialises in covering entertainment and pop culture, with a specialisation on Bollywood, Hollywood, OTT platforms, K-pop, K-dramas, and major developments in the US entertainment industry. She believes in telling stories that balance speed with substance, and in making entertainment journalism contextual, culturally aware, and reader-first rather than purely reactive.<br><br> With over six years of experience in digital media, Sneha currently serves as a Deputy Chief Content Producer at Live Mint. She has spent more than three and a half years with the HT Group and returned to the organisation in February 2025, joining Live Mint to uplift the entertainment section. Over the past year, she has been closely involved in entertainment coverage including breaking news, explainers, trend reporting, box office reports and analysis for the audience.<br><br> Sneha is Google News certified, having completed training focused on newsroom best practices, digital reporting, and SEO-driven content strategies. Her work reflects a strong understanding of audience behaviour, search trends, and the evolving consumption patterns of entertainment news across formats.<br><br> Prior to her current role, Sneha has worked across multiple content and editorial functions within digital newsrooms, building expertise in content planning, editing, and real-time coverage. Her professional interests lie at the intersection of entertainment, internet culture, and global pop trends.<br><br> Working for the National city team, Biswas closely follows global entertainment movements while maintaining a strong pulse on what is happening in India.