MUMBAI: An unidentified man in naval uniform walked into Navy Nagar, the Navy’s residential area in Colaba where entry is restricted, convinced a junior sailor on sentry duty that he was sent to relieve him of his charge, and fled with an INSAS rifle and two magazines loaded with 40 live cartridges last Saturday.The security breach sparked concerns about protocols in the military area. Cuffe Parade police filed an FIR for theft and multiple agencies, including NIA and ATS, have joined the probe. The Navy said an extensive search, in coordination with police, is on to recover the items and a board of inquiry has been ordered to probe the circumstances that led to the theft.Navy guard returned for watch, found man missingSources said the trespasser approached the Navy guard around 7.30pm on Saturday, claiming that he was taking over from him for the next shift. Believing the stranger to be his replacement, he handed over his service weapon and magazines before leaving for his hostel.
An hour later, he realised he had left his watch behind and returned to the tower to collect it but found that the man had disappeared. Alarmed, he began searching the area for the impersonator. After nearly three hours of futile attempts, he reported the matter to his superiors, said sources.A team from the Navy immediately launched a search operation in and around the vicinity but failed to find any trace of the suspect. Navy officials later approached Cuffe Parade police and lodged a formal complaint. The ease with which the guard was hoodwinked into handing over his weapon has left both the Navy and security agencies embarrassed.A senior police officer said investigators are examining CCTV footage from the area to trace the suspect’s movements. Officials are probing whether he had prior knowledge of duty timings or was simply able to exploit procedural loopholes. Investigators have prepared a sketch of the suspect based on the description provided by the junior sailor.
