Overview
- A video circulated online shows Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma firing multiple rounds from an AK-47 during a Shastra Puja ceremony on Tuesday, and reports say she fired nine rounds into the air.
- The footage spread widely on social platforms and national outlets, producing sharply divided reactions that praised operational readiness and criticised safety, discipline, and the use of live ammunition at a public religious event.
- Reporting notes that Shastra Puja is a long‑standing Vijayadashami ritual in which tools and weapons are honoured and that police sometimes participate, but authorised firearms training normally happens on designated ranges under controlled safety rules.
- Profiles of Sharma in the coverage highlight her 2018 IPS entry in the Chhattisgarh cadre, postings in Bhatapara, Raipur and Khairagarh, and media attention to her public image as a tough local officer.
- There are no widely reported departmental penalties or formal statements as of the latest coverage, and the incident could prompt police authorities to clarify rules on ceremonial displays, public safety and authorised firing procedures.