IPS officer Ajay Pal Sharma has just started his new posting with the West Bengal government, and it’s caused quite a stir behind the scenes. He’s a 2011-batch officer from Uttar Pradesh, and people in police circles know him for his “encounter specialist” reputation. Now, he’s landed in the politically sensitive South 24 Parganas district.

Sharma’s timing couldn’t be more critical. West Bengal’s assembly elections are underway, and tensions are running high. Both the BJP and the Election Commission say he’s there as an “observer” to keep voting clean and fair.

Still, his appointment has already sparked political drama. Local TMC leaders and others are raising eyebrows at Sharma’s past record. The situation’s heated enough that someone has taken it all the way to the Supreme Court with a PIL, arguing that his selection breaks standard safeguards for neutral policing. On the other side, BJP insiders are standing by him. They call him a sort of “Singham”—tough, no-nonsense, and ready to handle any law and order challenge the elections throw at him.