Theft at high-security Karnal mini-secretariat building

The thieves also took away the DVR of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) installed in the Karnal mini-secretariat building after stealing ₹25 lakh from the strongroom of Saral Kendra; the theft is exposed chinks in the high-security campus which remains under surveillance round-the-clock

In a major security breach at the Karnal mini-secretariat, thieves broke into the strongroom of Saral Kendra and took away ₹25 lakh on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday.

Thieves stole ₹25 lakh from the strongroom of Saral Kendra at Karnal mini-secretariat building on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. (HT Photo)

The thieves also took away the DVR of closed-circuit television cameras (CCTV) installed in the building, which also accommodates the district police headquarters and deputy commissioner’s office and remains under surveillance round-the-clock.

The incident came to the fore when the staff of Saral Kendra turned up for work on Thursday morning and found the door of the strongroom broken and the cash missing. Police have roped in forensic experts to assist in the case.

Police investigation the crime scene at the Saral Kendra strongroom, at Karnal mini-secretariat, on Thursday. (HT Photo)

The money taken away by the thieves included the fee deposited by applicants of registration cards, driving licence and others.

Manoj Kumar, the motor registration clerk at Karnal SDM office, who is the complainant in the case, said the cash could not be deposited in the bank due to some problem so they had kept it in the locker.

Karnal superintendent of police (SP) Ganga Ram Punia said a case under Section 380 (theft) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and probe is on.

When asked if action will be taken against cops deployed in the security of the mini-secretariat, the SP said investigation is underway and the case is being probed from all angles.