Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala police have started a probe into the theft of a pair of elephant tusks from the Indian Army camp in the Pangode neighbourhood of Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram city, officers said.
Based on a complaint received on Wednesday from officers at the Indian Army station, the Poojappura police have registered a First Information Report (FIR) under sections 331(4) (house trespass) and 305(3) (theft in sensitive locations) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiated a probe.
“The complaint states that two elephant tusks, which were displayed inside the officers’ mess at the camp, were found to be missing between February 11 and 12. There was a programme held inside the military camp on Wednesday, following which the tusks were reported stolen. We have been informed that certain persons had been brought in from outside for lighting and sound arrangements,” an officer of the Poojappura police, requesting anonymity, said.
“Since it’s a highly secure location with tight restrictions, it could be someone who came from outside for the programme. Or it could even be someone within the camp. We are investigating. No arrests have been made yet,” the officer said, adding that CCTV visuals inside and near the military camp are being examined.
The tusks are reportedly worth ₹2 crore in the open market.
A defence official, on condition of anonymity, said that a parallel internal probe by the Army is underway to catch the culprits behind the theft. “Some persons are being questioned,” he said.
The Army camp in Pangode is one of the important defence establishments in Kerala and functions under the southern command of the Army.