An alert has been sounded after a blue-beacon SUV of a senior IPS officer was stolen in the wee hours on Wednesday from Noida.
Police are making all out efforts to track the vehicle in the wake of the recent Pathankot attack where terrorists from Pakistan had overpowered a Punjab police SP’s similar vehicle to reach the IAF airbase before launching the deadly terror strike. Moreover, there have been instances in the past too when beacon-vehicles, including during the Parliament attack, were used to launch terror attacks.
Delhi Police spokesperson Rajan Bhagat said all DCPs have been asked to direct their personnel and local police to immediately locate the vehicle. “Several checking teams have been deployed and traffic officials have been briefed about the SUV,” he said.
“Official vehicle white Tata Safari with blue light of IG ITBP stolen from Sector 23 Noida last night.CH01GA2915. Alert sounded… All requested to share info if any with Delhi 100 or Noida SSP or 100 reg this vehicle if spotted. Join hands to keep Delhi safe. Retweet pl (sic),” the Delhi Police said on its official Twitter handle.
Anoop singh, Deputy SP of Noida, said, “We have formed three police teams to trace the vehicle in and around the district. An employee of the service centre may be involved in the case as the SUV was serviced recently. The SUV — suspected to have been stolen around 3:30 am on Wednesday — is equipped with a high security number plate and sensor locking system. We are also questioning the security guards of the society and scanning the CCTV footage around the areas.”
Officials said all police units in the national Capital region have been alerted.
The guard on duty in the complex alerted the Swarup family about the missing vehicle after which an FIR was lodged by the officer in Sector 24 police station in Noida.
The vehicle was parked late last night after it came back from Delhi, said officials.
Swarup, a 1992-batch Indian Police Service officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, is posted as IG (Provisioning) at the headquarters of the border guarding force in Delhi.
ITBP has instituted a court of inquiry into the incident, they said, adding the IG was posted in Delhi few months back on transfer from Mussoorie.
Officials said the SUV was purchased some months back and has a blue beacon, a two-star police IG plate and an ITBP flag in the front.