CCTV footage shows man fleeing with Agniveer’s stolen rifle

CCTV shows a man in Navy uniform stealing a rifle from a junior sailor in Mumbai. Police investigate taxi drivers and question Navy officers.

MUMBAI: Investigations into the theft of a rifle from an Agniveer junior sailor have led to CCTV footage where the unknown accused is seen throwing the rifle out of the Navy premises to an alleged accomplice. While the police have failed to identify the accused, they are questioning taxi drivers in the area to see whether anyone spotted the duo.

CCTV footage shows man fleeing with Agniveer’s stolen rifle

On Saturday evening, a man dressed in a Naval uniform, posing as a Quick Response Team (QRT) official of the Indian Navy, told a junior Agniveer, Alok Kaushal Kishore Singh, 20, that he was sent to replace him. At the time, Singh was stationed as a radar protector guard at AP Tower, New Navy Nagar, Cuffe Parade. The police said that Singh, the son of a farmer from Uttar Pradesh, had completed his training and joined the Navy as an Agniveer only fifteen days ago.

After asking Singh to return to the hostel, the unknown person took his weapon–an INSAS (Indian New Small Arms System) rifle and three magazines containing around 40 rounds of 5.56 mm, and fled into the nearby civilian area.

Since it is not easy for civilians to enter the defence area, the police also questioned Navy officers in the area to track down the missing weapon. The police said that they found a junior sailor missing from the premises, but investigations revealed that he had returned home due to a family dispute earlier that day.

The semi-automatic weapon with live rounds is giving the various investigative agencies sleepless nights as they suspect it might be misused. The Navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry, while the city police are conducting an extensive search to find the missing weapon.