Mumbai News: In a major security lapse, an unidentified man dressed in a naval uniform gained entry into Navy Nagar, the Navy’s restricted residential area in Colaba, and fled with an INSAS rifle along with two magazines containing 40 live cartridges, officials said.
The incident took place around 7.30 pm on Saturday when the impostor approached a junior sailor on sentry duty and claimed he had been sent to relieve him, as per a TOI report. Believing the claim, the sailor handed over his weapon before leaving for his hostel.
An hour later, the guard returned to collect his belongings but found the impostor missing. After unsuccessfully searching for nearly three hours, he alerted his superiors. A massive search operation was launched but the suspect could not be traced.
The Navy lodged an FIR at the Cuffe Parade police station. The case has since been taken up by multiple agencies, including the NIA and the Maharashtra ATS, as per the report. A board of inquiry has also been ordered.
CCTV Clip Being Monitored
Investigators are scanning CCTV footage to track the suspect’s movements and have prepared a sketch based on the sailor’s description. Officials are also probing whether the man had prior knowledge of security protocols or exploited procedural loopholes.
The incident has raised concerns over guard handover protocols within one of the country’s most sensitive military zones.