Teen Apprentice Pilfers 32 Firearms from Police Strong Room
For seven months, a teenage computer apprentice walked freely in and out of the malkhana — the designated strong room for storing case evidence, seized items and records — of the Sector 8 police station in Faridabad. Nobody noticed as he took away 32 licensed firearms deposited by citizens for safekeeping. The security lapse has culminated in 20 arrests, including the suspect's girlfriend, and a massive embarrassment for the Haryana Police.
Modus Operandi: Empty Covers Left Behind
The main accused, identified as Monu, was pursuing an ITI computer diploma and had been stationed at the police station as an apprentice to assist with digital paperwork. Investigators reveal that between October 2025 and April 2026, Monu exploited his unrestricted access to slip into the malkhana, stealing licensed weapons one by one. To evade detection, he employed a simple trick: he stole the firearms but left the empty weapon covers behind. It was enough to keep the thefts entirely off the department's radar for months.
The stolen firearms, according to the police, were passed on to Sanjay Sunaria in Tijara, Rajasthan, through Monu's cousin, Vipin. From there, these were sold to buyers across Dharuhera, Bhiwadi, Rewari, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Palwal and Nuh. While the police have recovered Rs 1 lakh from Monu and claim that all 32 stolen weapons have been traced, they have notably withheld any photographs of the seized arms, leaving some scepticism in the air.
Failure of Oversight: CCTV Footage Never Reviewed
What stings more than the theft itself is how long it went unnoticed. Despite the Sector 8 police station being equipped with CCTV cameras, the footage was seemingly never reviewed while weapons vanished month after month. It ultimately took a routine inspection to uncover the shortfall, leading to an FIR on June 10 that finally set the Crime Branch on the syndicate's trail.
The scandal has left the Haryana police department facing uncomfortable questions. Why was a computer apprentice, brought in for IT support, allowed near the malkhana in the first place? Secondly, are malkhana security procedures strictly adhered to across the state? Locals point out that a diploma student's training could have been conducted in any number of administrative departments entirely detached from weapons storage. The lapse highlights a lack of internal protocols regarding who gets access to high-security zones.
Unanswered Questions and Official Response
In the wake of the exposure, malkhana in-charge Sub-Inspector Bijendra Singh was suspended, and a formal departmental inquiry launched. A Faridabad Police spokesperson stated that the Sector 30 Crime Branch acted swiftly once the FIR was registered. While all 20 suspects are currently in judicial custody, lingering doubts remain. Some of the stolen property included high-value foreign-made weapons worth lakhs, and until full visual verification is provided, questions persist over whether more weapons are still out on the street.
Faridabad Police Commissioner Satendra Kumar Gupta told The Tribune that the case is being investigated from all angles and warned that strict legal action would be taken against anyone found guilty. "Negligence or complicity at any level will not be tolerated. We are conducting a detailed inquiry into the lapses. Further action will be taken based on the investigation report," he said.
Ultimately, the scandal leaves behind a damning picture. A high-security system was breached not by criminals, but by a teenager who was supposed to help the police with computer-related work.
