32 firearms, including foreign pistols, missing from Faridabad police armoury; ASI suspended
In a major security breach, 32 licensed weapons, including several foreign-made pistols valued between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10 lakh each, have been reported missing from the police armoury at the Sector Eight police station in Faridabad, Haryana. The discovery was made during a routine inspection, prompting an immediate criminal investigation and the suspension of the officer in charge of the armoury.
According to officials, the missing firearms were voluntarily deposited by their owners for safekeeping at the police station. After an internal inquiry, a theft case has been registered against Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Bijendra Singh, the malkhana (property room) in-charge. Police Commissioner Satender Kumar Gupta confirmed the suspension and said a departmental inquiry has been initiated.
The initial audit indicated 13 weapons were missing, but a subsequent detailed verification raised the number to 32. Police sources have suggested that some of the weapons may have been sold in Rajasthan and the Delhi-National Capital Region, though the police have not issued an official statement on this claim.
Senior police officers have ordered a thorough probe and instructed the investigating team to prevent information leaks while efforts to trace the missing firearms continue. Commissioner Gupta stated, 'The matter is under investigation. Whoever played a role in the theft of the weapons will not be spared.'
The incident raises serious questions about the security and management of police armouries, particularly concerning weapons held in trust by the public. Investigations are ongoing.
