Mumbai: Police nab two men who fled with INSAS rifle, ammunition; recover weapon

According to police, CCTV footage from the Navy Nagar main gate shows one of the accused, in his late twenties or early thirties, entering the premises at 7:20 pm on Saturday after showing an identity card. “The accused then collects the rifle and two magazines from a sailor posted on sentry duty by telling him that he had come to relieve him. He then throws the weapon and ammunition outside the compound wall, where his accomplice is waiting. Both then fled with the rifle and ammunition,” a police officer said.

Police said the accused who entered the compound carried a backpack containing a Navy uniform. He put it on before approaching the junior sailor on sentry duty and told him to be his senior and was there to take over the next shift. “It was around 7:30 pm. The junior sailor believed him and handed over his service rifle and two magazines loaded with 40 live cartridges,” said an officer who is part of the investigation.

After the sailor left, the accused threw the weapon and magazines over the compound wall, where his accomplice was waiting to collect them.

“It is a major security lapse… an unknown person entered a high-security area of Navy Nagar. The accused knew he could not flee with the weapons so he threw them out of the compound and then walked out from the main gate,” the officer added.

The accused was seen exiting the premises around 8 pm. The lapse was discovered when the sailor, who had handed over his weapon to the accused, returned an hour later to collect his wristwatch he had left there — only to find the person who had relieved him absent at the duty spot.

He searched briefly and then reported the incident to his seniors. Navy officers conducted an internal search and, unable to locate the accused, reported it to Cuffe Parade police station nearly a day later on Sunday night.

The accomplice of the accused was also caught on CCTV footage. Police believe the accused have left Mumbai.

“The Crime Branch has some leads and teams have fanned out to catch them,” an officer said.

“Those who are well aware about the area or worked inside might be involved. The person involved might also be an ex-service person,” a police source said.

The Cuffe Parade police have registered a case under Section 303 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

In a statement, the Indian Navy said, “An extensive search operation is underway to recover the lost items, in coordination with Mumbai Police. A Board of Inquiry has been ordered to investigate the circumstances leading to the incident. The case is also under investigation by other government agencies, and the Indian Navy is extending all necessary assistance to this effort.”

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