Six silver trophies stolen from Army training institute, insider role suspected

Pune: Six silver trophies valued at Rs8.39 lakh were stolen from the mess of the Army Institute of Physical Training (AIPT) in the city. Police suspect the theft was an "inside job" due to the high-security nature of the establishment.The theft is believed to have occurred between Feb 13 and March 15, but it only came to light recently when a mess secretary opened a display cabinet for routine cleaning and found the trophies missing. Following an internal inquiry, an FIR was lodged at the Wanowarie Police Station on April 6 by Army Havildar Deepak Sispal.Investigators have begun questioning civilian staffers employed at the mess on contract. Assistant police inspector S. Mahadik, who is leading the probe, stated that preliminary findings point towards internal involvement. "The campus is protected by a high compound wall and barbed wire fencing, making external intrusion highly unlikely. We have recorded statements from several staff members," Mahadik said.Police also identified a security gap: The absence of an internal CCTV network within the campus. "A premier institute of this nature should have comprehensive surveillance for safety and security. We have advised the administration to install cameras immediately. The investigation is ongoing," Mahadik added.Spread across 60 acres, the AIPT is a prestigious Indian Army centre dedicated to training physical instructors. It houses world-class facilities, including battle proficiency courses, boxing arenas, and gymnastics courts.A senior officer at the institute noted that all contractual staffers undergo mandatory police verification before being hired. "Only individuals with clean records are employed. However, it is difficult to anticipate criminal intent after a person has joined the workforce," the officer said. While officials maintained that security measures like access control and regular patrolling were in place, they admitted the need for modernisation. "Cameras are currently installed at entry points, but we are now undertaking a comprehensive security audit and will expand surveillance coverage across the entire campus," a source said.The Army authorities initially conducted internal investigation. When they were unable to identify the culprit, the case was handed over to the police.