By IANS
Chennai : At least six high power rifles and a wireless set were found missing Saturday from a police station on the main highway between Salem and Dharmapuri, 350 km southwest of the Tamil Nadu capital, police said.
The matter came to light when a constable checked the ordnance store within the police station, said Deputy Inspector General of Police N. Shenbagaraman.
Police suspect the hand of Maoists behind the arms theft.
“Though I cannot rule out the hand of Naxalites (Maoists), for the time being, we cannot exactly say who committed the crime. But we are taking the matter seriously because the firearms include four .410 rifles and police wireless equipment,” Shenbagaraman said.
“If they have fallen in the hands of extremists, they can monitor our movements through the walkie-talkie set. Further, the rifles in wrong hands mean great danger,” he added.
It was not immediately clear as to where the 24-hour sentries on duty at the police station were when the criminal act was carried out.
A posse of officials, including a superintendent of police, is investigating the matter, officials added.
Significantly police stations in this area have been rifled at least 10 times during recent times. A dog-squad has been pressed into service to trace them.
The Maoist movement has suddenly become active in Dharmapuri and its surroundings, especially after the slackening of police alertness since the forest brigand Veerappan was shot down in an encounter Oct 18, 2004.
Guerrillas have chosen this area mainly because it borders the tri-junction of three states – Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.