Mumbai, Sept 9: In a major security breach, an unidentified man dressed in a naval uniform entered Navy Nagar, the Indian Navy’s restricted residential area in Colaba, and fled with an INSAS rifle and two magazines carrying 40 live cartridges on Saturday evening.
How the theft happened
- Around 7.30 pm, the impersonator approached a junior sailor on sentry duty, claiming he had come to relieve him of his shift.
- Believing the stranger, the guard handed over his service weapon and magazines before leaving for his hostel.
- On returning an hour later to collect a personal item, he found the man missing. After searching unsuccessfully for nearly three hours, he alerted superiors.
Aftermath and probe
- The Navy immediately launched a search operation in and around the vicinity but failed to track the suspect.
- Later, a formal FIR was lodged at Cuffe Parade police station.
- Multiple agencies, including the NIA and ATS, have joined the investigation.
- Investigators are examining CCTV footage to trace the suspect’s movements and have prepared a sketch based on the guard’s description.
- Officials are probing whether the intruder had prior knowledge of duty schedules or exploited procedural lapses.
Navy’s response
The Navy said a board of inquiry has been ordered to examine the circumstances that enabled the theft, while search efforts continue in coordination with local police.
The incident has raised serious concerns about security protocols in sensitive military zones, with officials calling it a matter of “grave embarrassment.”