By Abhro Banerjee,News18

Copyright news18

The Agniveer who handed over the rifle and ammunition is currently in the custody of the Naval Police and is being interrogated. The Navy has also initiated a Board of Inquiry against him to determine how he failed to follow protocols and regulations on handling weapons.
According to officials, the suspect, dressed in a Navy uniform, stayed inside the naval campus for several hours after tricking the sailor into giving up his rifle. He later changed his uniform, packed the weapon and bullets into a white plastic bag, and threw it to another man waiting outside the campus. Mumbai Police, aided by CCTV footage, are now tracking the individual who carried away the bag.
The incident has been described as a major security breach. A man impersonating naval personnel managed to trick a sailor on duty in South Mumbai’s naval residential area late Saturday night, escaping with an INSAS rifle and ammunition.
The Indian Navy and Mumbai Police have since launched a joint search operation to recover the weapon and nab the suspect. A case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act has been registered at Cuffe Parade Police Station.
Officials confirmed that the matter is also being probed by other central agencies, with the Navy providing full cooperation. Investigators are examining how the impersonator gained access to the high-security residential zone and whether identification lapses contributed to the breach.