To fully grasp the current political firestorm brewing in West Bengal, it is essential to look at the escalating climate as the state nears Phase II of its assembly election voting on Wednesday, April 29th. At the center of a massive new controversy is Ajay Pal Sharma, an Indian Police Service (IPS) officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre who has been deployed to the state as a police observer.

The issue exploded onto the public stage on Monday, April 27th, the very last day of the election campaign, when a video of the officer surfaced online. IPS Sharma was seen visiting the Falta residence of Jahangir Khan—an All India Trinamool Congress (AITC or TMC) candidate reportedly closely aligned with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s nephew, Abhishek Banerjee. Sharma arrived to directly confront individuals alleged to be political goons.

During the visit, Sharma issued an uncompromising directive, demanding peace:

“All of you comprehend this fully that strict action will be taken against anyone attempting to create trouble. If any instances of issues or problems are reported, appropriate measures will be enforced. Jahangir’s family members are present here. Inform him that we are receiving frequent information about his men threatening people. We will take firm action against him. Do not cry or repent later,”

While at the property, Sharma immediately noticed a glaring security discrepancy. He counted 14 West Bengal state police officers guarding the premises, despite official records stating that Khan's Y-category protection detail only warranted 10 cops. Sharma sent out a formal notification to the local Superintendent of Police, demanding a written explanation for the unauthorized additional deployment.

Trinamool Candidate Hits Back As Political Tensions Rise

Jahangir Khan did not take the intervention lightly, rapidly firing back at the IPS officer. He accused Sharma of overstepping his boundaries, stating:

“Around 3 pm yesterday, he came and tried to threaten my security at this party office. Then he went and tried to threat my family. Is this the duty of a police observer? If he has to say something he has to tell the SP (Superintendent of Police) or IC (Inspector-in-Charge).”

Khan further elaborated on his grievances, asserting that the officer was acting beyond his Election Commission of India (ECI) jurisdiction to deliberately benefit the rival Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP):

“There is no rule of ECI that says that a police observer can go and threat people at their houses. To aid BJP these people are doing illegal things. They are trying to threaten TMC workers and leaders because they know that they won’t win but we are not afraid,”

In a final, dramatic act of defiance, Khan mocked the officer's cinematic reputation, telling the media:

“This is Bengal. If he is Singham, I am Pushpa. No amount of threat or coercion by the BJP-appointed police officials from Uttar Pradesh will be allowed in Falta. They came with forces and tried to pressure my people and me. Such actions are not acceptable in a democratic system,”

The political fallout immediately spilled over onto social media. Prominent opposition figures, including TMC Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra and senior Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate, circulated a video of a man enjoying the dance of a scantily-clad woman, falsely claiming the man was IPS Sharma. A journalist who shared the clip deleted it shortly after, but formal complaints are reportedly being registered regarding the defamatory stunt.

Enforcement Operations And High Court Backing

The raid on Khan's residence was not an isolated act, but a direct response to grave accusations of voter intimidation by his supporters. To carry out the operation, Sharma was joined by a heavy, combined tactical team consisting of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), a Flying Surveillance Team (FST), and a Quick Response Team (QRT).

Sharma is one of 11 specialized police observers provided by the Election Commission to ensure the peaceful organization of the second round of voting. Because of his extensive operational background, he was assigned to South 24 Parganas—the district receiving the largest security allotment—alongside two other observers.

Determined to stop Sharma from discharging his duties, the TMC filed an urgent writ petition with the Calcutta High Court. They argued his warning to Khan was a violation of the Model Code of Conduct and demanded his recall. However, the High Court firmly refused to entertain the plea, effectively validating Sharma's actions by stating:

“We will not intervene until April 29. We will not interfere in the work of those entrusted with election duties.”

Discover The Famous "Encounter Specialist" Of The State

Long before this Bengal deployment, Sharma had built a formidable and highly debated reputation. Born in Ludhiana, Punjab, on October 26, 1985, he initially trained as a dental surgeon at the Government Medical College in Patiala. He shifted to law enforcement, joining the IPS in 2011, and is renowned today for his strict, unyielding approach.

The 40-year-old officer has reportedly participated in over 500 police encounters, officially earning the title of "encounter specialist." During these crackdowns, numerous criminals were jailed, and nearly 15 were killed. As the SP in Jaunpur, he launched a staggering 136 encounters in just 22 months—one of the highest figures ever recorded for a single district assignment. He has also served as SP/SSP in Hathras, Shamli, and Rampur, managed Kumbh Mela security in Prayagraj, and is currently Prayagraj’s Additional Commissioner of Police (Law and Order).

His methods garnered immense praise from political leaders. In 2017, former Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar honored him in Karnal, declaring:

“We need IPS officials like Ajay Pal Sharma to tackle crime in our state. I would urge officials in my state to take inspiration from IPS Sharma and learn techniques to curb crime in the state,”

During Sharma's posting in Shamli, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath announced that the strict policing had ended the "Kairana-like exodus," bringing immense relief to local traders. In that region, 4 infamous criminals were killed and 20 wounded. The impact was so severe that dreaded criminals surrendered out of fear, with some even writing to courts to express their desire to remain safely incarcerated. Locals were so grateful they gave Sharma a chariot ride after back-to-back operations eliminated two notorious outlaws.

Evolving Into The "Singham" Persona

Sharma exploded into mainstream popularity in 2018 in Rampur while hunting a fugitive who raped and murdered a 6-year-old girl. After a brief encounter where the accused was shot three times and nabbed, Sharma gained national attention. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath facilitated him in March 2018, and he was promoted to SSP in Noida.

He is equally acknowledged for strictly monitoring his own force. While in Noida, he was tipped off about a fixed list of bribe rates among police. Acting independently, he dressed in plain clothes, hired an autorickshaw, and drove through the city on an unexpected inspection. He caught a sub-inspector red-handed and suspended him. Overall, he has initiated disciplinary actions against roughly 63 police personnel.

Addressing his controversial nickname in a conversation with The Print, he voiced:

“These encounters did not happen by will, it was just chance. We want to arrest criminals, make recoveries and collect the maximum information on their hiding places, their other gang members, etc. This is the last option. We do not know what situation arises on the ground,”

Sharma admitted that his actions resulted in the deaths of at least 9 accused and wounded about 190 others. He actively hunted fugitives with bounties from ₹5,000 to ₹100,000 and even invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against the mining mafia.

Accusations Of Malpractice And Substantial Digital Footprint

There have been notable controversies in his career. In 2020, he was ousted as Rampur SP due to claims of posting irregularities, prompting a Special Investigation Team (SIT) vigilance investigation. He was later charged in Meerut under the Prevention of Corruption Act for allegedly pushing for his relocation.

Additionally, a woman filed a First Information Report (FIR) in Lucknow, accusing Sharma of cheating under the guise of marriage. While the scandal hindered his career advancement for a while, he eventually earned a clean chit.

Despite the hurdles, he maintains a massive social media fan base, with about 1,40,000 followers on his Facebook page. The dedication to policing also runs in the family; his younger brother, Amit Pal Sharma, is a 2015 batch IPS officer from the same Uttar Pradesh cadre.