A video of a senior woman IPS officer firing an AK-47 assault rifle into the air during a traditional weapon worship ritual on Dussehra in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon city has gone viral, triggering a debate over safety, discipline and weapon handling protocols.
While some social media users defended Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police (SP) Ankita Sharma, saying she was merely following a tradition, others criticised her handling of the weapon.
A traditional 'Shastra Puja' (weapon worship) ritual was performed at Police Lines in Rajnandgaon on Tuesday on the occasion of Vijayadashami. Police weapons and vehicles were worshipped.
The viral video showed Sharma, dressed in a saree, firing several rounds from an AK-47. Rajnandgaon Additional Superintendent of Police Kirtan Rathore was also seen firing an AK-47 after her in another video.
Videos showing police personnel firing weapons after the ritual in other districts, including Raipur, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Durg, Kabirdham and Bastar, were also shared with the media on Tuesday.
Asked about the video involving Sharma, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said the government would take cognisance of the matter.
Retired IPS officer R K Vij told PTI that firing should be carried out only at a safe location and with adequate precautions.
"The tradition is essentially about performing the worship of weapons, not firing them. Such firing carries the risk of accidents and should be avoided," he said.
An IPS officer said on condition of anonymity 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.
Even a bullet fired into the air comes back down and can injure people in the vicinity, the officer added.
Former Indian Army officer K J S Dhillon took to social media to raise concerns over the way the weapons were fired, as seen in the videos.
"Dangerously incorrect handling of a loaded weapon - All aspects of safety of weapon handling violated - 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...academies not adhered to - Such irresponsible action can cause death or hurt to self or others...," he wrote.
Another social media user, identifying himself as Army veteran Colonel Deepak Kumar, also described the act as reckless and unprofessional, and questioned the woman officer's handling of the rifle after firing.
Some users suggested that only blank ammunition should be used for ceremonial firing.
Several social media users, however, defended Sharma, arguing that the incident should not overshadow her professional record.
A handle with the name 'Former Major L S Choudhary', in a social media post, acknowledged that there were mistakes in the officer's weapon handling but said they should be corrected without discrediting her work in Chhattisgarh.
Another user, Narendra Negi, defended Sharma, saying she was a trained IPS officer. The criticism targeting her partly stemmed from her firing the rifle while wearing a saree, he contended.