A shocking case of theft has emerged from the office of the Delhi Police’s Special Cell, where lakhs of rupees and a massive quantity of gold were stolen from the department’s own storeroom. The twist? The thief was none other than a head constable of the Special Cell himself.
The accused, Head Constable Khurshid, had previously been posted at the maalkhana (evidence room) located at Lodhi Road, where the theft took place. Although he had since been transferred to East Delhi, he used his familiarity with the facility to his advantage. On Saturday, a team from the Special Cell arrested Khurshid and recovered Rs 50 lakh in cash along with gold worth crores of rupees.
A pre-planned operation
According to police sources, Khurshid had meticulously planned the theft well in advance. During his earlier posting at the maalkhana, he managed to get a duplicate key of the storeroom made. He later used this duplicate key to execute the theft without raising suspicion.
The stolen goods included not only Rs 50 lakh in cash but also a significant quantity of gold, reportedly worth several crores. Following the arrest, the Special Cell conducted raids and successfully recovered the stolen items. Investigators are now interrogating Khurshid to determine whether he has committed similar crimes in the past.
How did the security breach happen?
Khurshid's plan hinged on his prior access and familiarity with the Lodhi Road maalkhana. Having previously worked there, he was well-known to the staff, and no one questioned his presence. When he entered the store room, staff assumed he was there on official duty. He quietly accessed the storeroom using the duplicate key and left with the stolen items without drawing attention.
The lack of suspicion among the staff played a key role in the success of the theft, exposing a major lapse in internal security protocols.
Maalkhana: A storage for seized property
The maalkhana is a secured facility where items seized by the Delhi Police during various raids and operations are stored. These include cash, narcotics, weapons, and gold, among other valuables. Khurshid, having worked there earlier, was well-acquainted with the layout, security measures, and routine operations.
This familiarity enabled him to bypass scrutiny and gain access to the safe where valuable items were stored. His actions have now raised serious concerns about internal security and the procedures surrounding the handling of seized property.
