IPS officer’s AK‑47 firing at Vijayadashami sparks safety outcry

Senior IPS officer Ankita Sharma, Superintendent of Police in Rajnandgaon, fired an AK‑47 rifle into the air during Vijayadashami celebrations, and the clip quickly went viral. The short video shows Sharma in a blue saree loading the rifle, pointing it skyward without any protective gear, and discharging several rounds. Bullets can be seen falling back down as the weapon is set aside on a table holding other rifles. People standing behind her appear visibly frightened. The act formed part of a traditional shastra puja, a Hindu ritual on Vijayadashami that honors weapons as symbols of duty and the victory of good over evil. Former Indian Army officer K J S Dhillon posted on X that the handling was dangerously incorrect, citing violations of every safety rule, pointing a loaded gun in all directions, and risking death or injury. Dhillon emphasized that firing a service weapon while dressed in civilian attire broke basic weapon‑handling drills taught at training academies. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister told PTI the state government will take cognizance of the incident. Retired IPS officer R K Vij said firing should only occur at a safe location with proper precautions and that the tradition is about worship, not shooting. An anonymous IPS officer added that during shastra puja the state usually uses blank rounds, known as awazi kartoos, and that live ammunition is not meant to be used, though a bullet fired into the air can still fall and hurt bystanders.

Context

Shastra puja is a common Dussehra ritual in many Indian states where weapons are symbolically worshipped; it often includes firing blanks rather than live rounds. Police officers are expected to follow strict safety protocols when handling firearms, making any deviation a matter of public concern.