Man posing as reliever for naval sentry flees with rifle, ammunition

Mumbai, Sep 8 (PTI) A man, who posed as a naval personnel to relieve the junior sailor from the sentry post, fled with a rifle and ammunition from the naval area in South Mumbai, police said on Monday.

The Indian Navy, along with the Mumbai Police, has launched a search operation for the man and rifle with ammunition, an official said.

A board of inquiry has been ordered in the incident, he said.

A case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita Act has been registered against an unidentified person at Cuffe Parade Police Station, he said.

The incident occurred on Saturday night in the Navy residential area in South Mumbai, he said.

A junior sailor, whilst on sentry duty, was allegedly approached by a person in naval uniform who pretended that he had come to relieve the sailor from his duties.

The sailor gave his rifle and ammunition to the man, he said, adding that after some time, the person who had assumed sentry duties in his place was found missing from his post along with the rifle and ammunition.

An extensive search operation in coordination with the Mumbai Police is underway to recover the lost items.

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, he said. PTI DC HIG