Now Reading: Army veterans slam IPS officer Ankita Sharma over AK-47 firing
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Army veterans slam IPS officer Ankita Sharma over AK-47 firing
The Story in Brief
A video of Chhattisgarh IPS officer Ankita Sharma firing an AK-47 during Dussehra shastra puja has gone viral, drawing sharp criticism from retired Army officers who questioned her safety protocols. The Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police, dressed in a saree, fired the assault rifle at the Police Lines on 20 October. India Today and Times Now report that Lieutenant General KJS Dhillon (Retired) and Lieutenant Colonel Sushil Singh Sheoran (Retired) listed multiple violations, including unsafe weapon handling and firing into the air.
News9 and NewsX present the video as a viral moment alongside Sharma's biography, noting she is a 2018-batch officer who cleared UPSC on her third attempt with All India Rank 203. The Times of India reports the video drew mixed reactions, with some users praising her confidence and others raising concerns about firearm safety. India Today and Times Now focus on the veterans' criticism, with Dhillon calling the act a 'black demo of authority without responsibility'.
Indian Opinion Analysis
News9 and NewsX treat the AK-47 video as a straightforward viral profile, foregrounding Sharma's career trajectory and the tradition of shastra puja. India Today and Times Now lead instead with Army veterans' detailed criticism of safety violations, framing the incident as a lapse in accountability. The Times of India sits between these two poles, noting both praise and concern without endorsing either. The difference is one of editorial emphasis: the first two outlets report the event, the latter two question it. The key point the sources name is the veterans' call for disciplinary action against such acts.
Coverage: 5 sources, 2 government-critical, 3 neutral
Sources (5): news9live.com (neutral report), newsx.com (neutral report), timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report), indiatoday.in (government critical), timesnownews.com (government critical)
This brief was synthesised by AI from the 5 sources linked above, so one read covers every framing they carry. Methodology and corrections.
Update, 21 October 2026: this story now draws on 5 sources.
Update, 21 October 2026: further reports on this story from odishabytes.com, deccanherald.com, newindianexpress.com.
