Faridabad: 32 licensed weapons stolen from police station armoury

Thirty-two licensed firearms kept in police custody at the malkhana (armoury room) of the Sector 8 police station in Haryana's Faridabad have gone missing, prompting the suspension of the malkhana in-charge and the registration of a theft case against him.

Police said Assistant Sub-Inspector Bijendra Singh, who was in charge of the armoury, has been suspended by Police Commissioner Satender Kumar Gupta. A departmental inquiry has also been initiated against him.

The missing weapons had been voluntarily deposited by local residents for safekeeping and were to be reclaimed by their owners when required.

According to police sources, the missing firearms include several foreign-made pistols and other weapons valued between Rs 2 lakh and Rs 10 lakh. It is suspected that the stolen weapons may have been sold in Rajasthan and the Delhi-NCR region, though police have not officially confirmed the claim.

The discrepancies came to light during a routine inspection. An initial audit indicated that 13 weapons were missing, but a detailed verification later found that 32 firearms had disappeared.

Following the discovery, senior police officers ordered an inquiry, which confirmed the missing weapons.

Police sources said investigators have been instructed not to allow information related to the probe to be leaked. Recovering the missing firearms remains the investigation's primary challenge.

"The matter is under investigation. Whoever played a role in the theft of the weapons will not be spared," Gupta said.