A major security breach at a high-security naval residential enclave in Mumbai has prompted a multi-agency investigation after an unidentified man, impersonating a sailor, successfully tricked a sentry into handing over his rifle and live ammunition.
The incident, which occurred last Saturday evening at Navy Nagar in Colaba, saw the individual, described as being in naval uniform, approach a junior sailor on sentry duty.
As reported by TOI, the impersonator convinced the guard that he was his official replacement for the next shift. Trusting the stranger’s appearance and claim, the sailor relinquished his INSAS rifle and two magazines containing 40 live cartridges before departing.
According to reports, the sailor returned to the sentry post approximately an hour later after realising he had forgotten his watch.
He discovered the impersonator had vanished along with the weapon. The guard then spent nearly three hours searching the area himself before finally alerting his superiors to the alarming theft.
The Navy immediately launched a large-scale search operation in coordination with the police. However, no trace of the suspect or the stolen military equipment was found.
The Cuffe Parade police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) for theft and the probe has now expanded to include specialised agencies such as the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), reflecting the seriousness of the breach.
A senior police officer confirmed that investigators are scouring CCTV footage from the vicinity to trace the suspect’s movements and escape route, as per TOI report.
Officials are also examining whether the individual had inside knowledge of duty schedules or was merely able to exploit a glaring procedural loophole. A sketch of the suspect has been prepared based on the description provided by the junior sailor.
The ease with which the guard was deceived has caused significant embarrassment within the naval establishment and raised urgent concerns about security protocols within restricted military zones.
In response to the incident, the Navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry to investigate the exact circumstances that led to the theft.
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