Centuries-old cannon in MP vanishes in daring midnight raid
A nearly 400-year-old cannon has been stolen from the historic Narwar Fort in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh, triggering concerns over the security of protected monuments and reviving memories of a similar theft in the State nearly two decades ago.
The theft is believed to have taken place on the intervening night of July 15 and July 16 at the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI)-protected fort. According to preliminary investigations, a group of unidentified persons entered the fort through a less-guarded rear approach using a vehicle and escaped with the massive artillery piece.
Security personnel stationed at the fort alleged that around 25 to 30 armed men carried out the operation. The intruders reportedly threatened the unarmed guards before loading the cannon onto vehicles and fleeing. Investigators suspect the theft was carefully planned and executed in multiple stages to avoid detection. The stolen cannon was one of 14 historic artillery pieces displayed in the fort’s open courtyard. With the latest theft, only 13 cannons remain at the centuries-old monument.
Karera Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Prashant Sharma said police reached the spot immediately after receiving information and have launched a detailed investigation. He said all possible angles, including the involvement of an interstate or international smuggling network dealing in antiques and heritage artefacts, are being examined. Officials said preliminary findings indicate the cannon had fallen from its designated platform a few days earlier but was not restored to its original position or shifted to a secure location, making it vulnerable to theft.
Describing the incident as “extremely serious,” Deputy Director of the State Archaeology Department Tarun Kumar Srivastava said he would personally visit Narwar Fort to review the security arrangements and assess the circumstances surrounding the theft.
Police teams are analysing CCTV footage from nearby areas, mapping possible escape routes and collecting technical evidence to identify those involved. The incident has also brought back memories of a similar theft in 2007, when another Mughal-era cannon, measuring nearly seven feet in length and weighing around 30 quintals, was stolen from the Kachahari Mahal complex within the same fort.
Narwar Fort, believed to have been rebuilt by the Kachhwaha Rajputs in the 10th century, is one of Madhya Pradesh’s prominent heritage sites. The hill fort is also associated in local tradition with Kush, the son of Lord Rama, and the legendary King Nala and Damayanti. The latest theft has once again raised serious questions over the protection of priceless historical artefacts housed at ASI-protected monuments.
