Ankita Sharma, known as "Lady Singham", was caught on video unlocking an AK‑47 and firing it during a Shastra Puja on Tuesday in Rajnandgaon district, Chhattisgarh. The ritual, meant to honour weapons, saw Sharma discharge at least ten rounds into the air, a move that sparked immediate outrage online.
The clip was shared across social media, prompting police from Raipur, Bilaspur, Raigarh, Durg, Kabirdham and Bastar to release similar footage of officers firing blanks during their own Shastra Puja events. Additional Superintendent Kirtan Rathore also appeared in a separate clip, firing an AK‑47 after Sharma.
Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao said the government would take cognisance of the incident. Retired IPS officer R K Vij warned that firing a military assault rifle in a crowd‑filled ceremony is dangerous and should be confined to secure sites. Former army officer KJS Dhillon condemned the act as a "black demo of authority without responsibility" and called for punishment.
Chhattisgarh Police have pledged to conduct an internal review, with the possibility of disciplinary proceedings against Sharma. The investigation will examine whether safety protocols were breached and whether the firing complied with state weapons policy. Officials say the outcome will be announced within the next week.