2 Brothers In Telangana Arrested With Rifle, Ammunition For Mumbai Security Breach Case

In a breakthrough, the Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested two brothers from Telangana for stealing an INSAS rifle and 40 rounds of ammunition from one of the country's most high-security defence zones in Colaba's Navy Nagar.

The case was registered on September 6 after a rifle went missing from a sailor on sentry duty. According to investigators, one of the accused posed as a Quick Response Team member and told the sailor he was being relieved due to an "orange alert." Believing the explanation, the sailor handed over his weapon.

CCTV footage later revealed that the impersonator threw the rifle and magazines over the compound wall to his brother waiting outside, before both boarded a train via Pune to Telangana.

"The operation was carefully planned, and the accused fled immediately after the theft. Their movements were tracked through technical and human intelligence, which led to their arrest," said DCP (Crime Branch) Raj Tilak Roshan.

The accused, identified as Rakesh Duballa and Umesh Duballa, were picked up from Asifabad district after a four-day manhunt that saw nine police teams deployed. One of the brothers is an Agniveer posted with the Navy, raising concerns about insider involvement.

According to officials, CCTV footage showed how the weapon was stolen on September 6. One of the accused, dressed in naval fatigues, impersonated a Quick Response Team member and tricked a junior sailor into handing over his rifle and magazines under the pretext of an "orange alert." The weapon was then thrown across the compound wall to his waiting brother, after which both fled by train to Telangana via Pune.

The stolen rifle and ammunition have been recovered. Initially charged for theft, the accused now face charges under the Arms Act, given the sensitivity of the case.

Police sources said the interrogation will probe the motive behind the theft and whether the brothers had any links to extremist networks. "Since the area of arrest has a history of Moist activity, every angle is being examined," a senior officer said.

Meanwhile, the Navy has ordered a Board of Inquiry to investigate the procedural lapses that allowed an impersonator to walk out of a secure zone with a weapon. The NIA and ATS are assisting in the probe.