Chhattisgarh Police issue notice to SP Ankita Sharma over Dussehra AK-47 firing video

The Chhattisgarh Police headquarters has served a show-cause notice to Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma after a video showing her firing an AK-47 rifle into the air during Dussehra festivities circulated widely online.

The incident occurred on 20 October at the Rajnandgaon Police Lines during the traditional Shastra Puja ceremony held on Vijayadashami. In the footage, Sharma, dressed in a saree, fires several rounds from the assault rifle following the ceremonial worship of weapons. Additional Superintendent of Police Kirtan Rathore was also seen firing an AK-47 in a separate clip recorded during the same event.

State police leadership intervened promptly to maintain institutional discipline and enforce standard operating procedures. Rajnandgaon Range Inspector General of Police Ajay Yadav confirmed the issuance of the notice, noting that headquarters took serious cognisance of the footage to ensure strict compliance with service arms regulations.

"After receiving the SP's reply, I will record my observations and forward the matter to the police headquarters," Yadav said. "Further action will be taken in accordance with the directions received from there."

Scrutiny over weapon handling

The footage prompted debate among security veterans regarding safety drills and procedural adherence during ceremonial events. Retired Indian Army Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon criticised the handling of the loaded service weapon online, pointing to safety risks and drill departures in a crowded setting. Colonel Deepak Kumar, an Army veteran, similarly argued that post-firing handling required tighter adherence to formal drills.

Senior police professionals also stressed the primacy of preventive safety. Former IPS officer RK Vij noted that Shastra Puja traditionally centres on the veneration of arms rather than their discharge. "The tradition is essentially about performing the worship of weapons, not firing them," Vij said, emphasising that unnecessary firing increases the risk of accidents.

Other serving officers, speaking on condition of anonymity, explained that celebratory discharges during Shastra Puja in Chhattisgarh traditionally employ blank cartridges, locally known as awazi kartoos, rather than live ammunition. Even so, senior officers underlined that strict oversight remains essential across all police units whenever service weapons are handled.

District-wide traditions and institutional review

Similar footage of police personnel firing weapons during Vijayadashami rituals emerged from several other districts across the state, including Raipur, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Durg, Kabirdham and Bastar. It remains unclear whether supervisory authorities have issued similar notices to officers in those jurisdictions.

Sharma, an officer known for her active field tenure in Chhattisgarh's security operations, received public support from observers who noted that ceremonial weapon firing has been a routine Dussehra custom within state units for years. Former Major LS Choudhary noted that while weapon handling procedures must always be corrected and maintained at the highest level, institutional reviews should be handled constructively without diminishing an officer's broader record of service.

Sharma has not publicly commented on the notice, and her formal reply is awaited at the range headquarters before the state leadership determines the next procedural steps.