Ajay Pal Sharma, the Uttar Pradesh batch IPS officer, who is also known as an 'encounter specialist', has become the focal point of political tensions between the TMC and the BJP ahead of the second phase of the West Bengal Assembly elections.
Tensions between the two parties started post Sharma's visit to areas where Falta TMC candidate Jahangir Khan's men were allegedly intimidating voters and also collecting voter cards from the people in the constituency. Sharma reached the area and said on record that he would not allow Khan or his men to intimidate the locals of the area.
With over a hundred armed central paramilitary troops, an armoured vehicle, and a list of potential "trouble makers" in his pocket, the 2011-batch IPS combed the South 24 Parganas district's Falta Assembly seat under TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee's backyard of Diamond Harbour parliamentary constituency for two days on a trot.
Reacting to the development, TMC candidate Khan alluded to the Telugu-language action film 'Pushpa' and the Bollywood cop movie 'Singham' to say he would not allow "BJP-appointed police officials to threaten voters".
"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," he said on Tuesday. "They came with forces and tried to pressure my people and me. Such actions are not acceptable in a democratic system."
Sharma, who is often referred to as 'Singham' is among the 95 police observers deployed across the state by the Election Commission.
Who is Ajay Pal Sharma?
Sharma is a former dental surgeon who quit the profession in order to serve in the Indian civil services. He has served across Uttar Pradesh in districts like Rampur, Shamli, Jaunpur, and Hathras. Sharma, an IPS of the 2011 cadre is currently posted in Prayagraj.
Sharma, as per the official website of the Uttar Pradesh Police, was born in Punjab's Ludhiana. He currently holds the post of Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police.
He has received two commendation medals for his service, in 2017 and 2025.
As per a report in the Times of India, Sharma has led more than 500 police encounters during the course of his career till date, which includes 136 encounters in a span of just 22 months.
The report also revealed that when Sharma was initially trying to locate the residence of Jahangir Khan, locals as well as police personnel, allegedly fearing their safety, were reluctant in divulging information.
Sharma and his team did later manage to locate the residence of Khan. The IPS officer also reportedly flagged the issue of four more police personnel being deployed at Khan's residence than what his 'Y-category' security mandates. The report states that he has issued a notice to the local SP asking for an explanation regarding the same.
