Elephant Tusks Worth Rs 2 Crore Stolen From Military Camp After DJ Party

Two elephant tusks worth around Rs 2 crore have allegedly been stolen from the Pangode military station in Thiruvananthapuram following a party at the officers' club. NDTV has accessed a First Information Report (FIR) of a startling security breach inside a high-security military zone.

The tusks, which had been displayed inside the officers' mess, were found missing on Thursday following a DJ party organised the previous night. The event reportedly involved not just military personnel but also technicians who had been brought in for sound and lighting arrangements.

According to the FIR, unknown persons allegedly entered the officers' mess and removed the tusks sometime between February 11 and February 12 morning. The case has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

Police sources said access to the Pangode military camp is tightly controlled, requiring multiple layers of security clearance, making the theft particularly shocking. Investigators are examining whether individuals familiar with the premises may have been involved or a professional gang operated this theft.

Preliminary investigation is focusing on people who entered the premises from outside for the party. CCTV footage is being examined, and both city police and military intelligence have launched parallel probes. Senior police officials have begun recording detailed statements from officers and staff connected to the event. 

Seventeen civilians including minors were called in for questioning.

NDTV has learned that the tusks were handed over to the military station decades ago by the state government with the assurance that they would be safely preserved and returned upon request. The Forest Department had earlier declined a fresh request from the camp seeking additional tusks due to lack of central approval.