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.

A rifle along with ammunition went missing from a sentry post on the night of September 6 in the Navy’s residential area in Mumbai.

A junior sailor, while on sentry duty, was allegedly approached by another person in naval uniform who relieved him, claiming he had been sent for the same task. Later, the individual who took over sentry duties was found missing from the post along with the rifle and ammunition.

A massive search operation is being carried out to trace the missing items, in coordination with Mumbai Police.

A Board of Inquiry has been ordered to probe the circumstances surrounding the incident. The case is also being investigated by other Government agencies, and the Indian Navy is providing full assistance to this effort. — Indian Navy statement

An FIR has been registered on the complaint of a Navy official at Cuffe Parade police station.

This article first appeared on Mid Day