She then fires multiple rounds into the air. Clad in a blue saree with the pallu (the loose end of the saree) tucked around her waist, she holds an AK-47 assault rifle.
She looks at the weapon, moves the safety selector down from “safe” to “fire”, and pulls the charging handle. She is IPS officer Ankita Sharma, known as “Lady Singham”, who was seen firing an AK-47 during a Dussehra event in Chhattisgarh.
A traditional ‘Shastra Puja’ (weapon worship) ritual was performed at the Police Lines in Rajnandgaon city on Tuesday on the occasion of Vijayadashami.
“Pointing a loaded weapon in all directions. Ppl (people) in background are visibly terrified. Firing a service weapon for an unauthorised act in a non-authorised dress. Basic weapon handling drill taught in the trg (training) academies not adhered to,” he added.
Asked about the video involving Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said that the government would take cognisance of the matter. Highlighting the risks of firing a military assault rifle, retired IPS officer R K Vij said it should be carried out only at a safe location and with adequate precautions. An IPS officer, on the condition of anonymity, told PTI that firing blank rounds, commonly known as ‘awazi kartoos’, is part of the Shastra Puja tradition, which is followed across the state. Live ammunition is not used on such occasions, he said. Describing it as a “black demo of authority without responsibility”, Dhillon said such irresponsible action can cause death or hurt to self or others and called for punishment against “such acts of indiscipline”.
