Major Security Lapse: ITBP Top Cop's SUV Stolen From Outside His Home

In a major security lapse, a Tata Safari SUV belonging to senior IPS officer Anand Swarup was stolen outside from his residence in Noida on Tuesday night. Following the incident, the Noida police have been put on alert because in a similar incident, terrorists had hijacked the vehicle of a police officer just before the Pathankot terror attack earlier this month.

Represenatational image for Tata Safari.

The blue beacon atop the Mahindra XUV of Superintendent of Police Salwinder Singh had helped the terrorists, who hijacked the vehicle, get past several police checkposts and enter the Pathankot air force base on January 2.

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Swarup, who is currently posted in ITBP as IG, confirmed to TOI that his SUV has stolen from his residence in Noida. "I have informed the local police and FIR has been registered in this connection," he said. Swarup lives in Sector 23 in Noida.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Anoop Singh said that the SUV was reportedly lifted at around 3.30am. The vehicle had a Chandigarh registration number CH 2915. Hunt is on to trace it. "As Anand Swarup's family woke up they came to know about the incident. The police was informed about the incident. Acting on the information a police team dispatched the scene," Singh said.

The culprits may misuse the vehicle

"The SUV with a blue beacon belonging to Anand Swarup. It is not a government vehicle. It was private car," Singh said. He ruled out that the SUV was stolen by any terrorist outfit. "Initial investigation suggests that the SUV has been stolen by small time criminals. A day before theft, the SUV had gone to service station. There are chances that some mechanics would have copied the keys of the keys of the SUV. Our team is interrogating those people who were involved in servicing the SUV," Singh added.

"We have gained some leads from the CCTV installed near his residence. Several of our teams are working on it and we are hopeful crack the case soon and safely recover the car," Singh further said. Intelligence and security agencies feel the threat of a "lone wolf" attack by an Islamic State-inspired element during the Republic Day preparations. The Special Cell tracked down the suspects in a joint operation with a central intelligence agency and they are conducting search operations throughout Uttarakhand, the source said.