A major security scare has erupted in Bhopal as the capital of Madhya Pradesh, after the Inspector General (IG) of Intelligence, Dr Ashish, was mugged by bike-borne assailants in the city’s most exclusive VVIP area, Char Imli Colony. The robbers snatched two mobile phones from the high-ranking officer, one of which contained sensitive and confidential data related to state security and intelligence, causing a massive upheaval within the police department. Police Commissioner Harinarayanachari Mishra confirmed the incident, stating that on Tuesday night, IG Dr Ashish was out for a walk with his wife near his official residence when he was targeted. Three assailants on a motorcycle ambushed the officer and snatched both his mobile phones. During the scuffle, one phone was dropped by the robbers and later recovered, though it was damaged.

 

The other phone was stolen. The theft immediately put the police machinery into high gear due to the sensitive contents of the stolen device. The phone reportedly contained critical information regarding law and order, security and intelligence across the entire State. Following the incident, the Cyber Crime Branch and local police teams immediately launched a joint investigation. 12-Hour Police Operation Leads to Arrests: Umesh Tiwari, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) of Habibganj, stated that police teams acted swiftly, scrutinising CCTV footage to identify the suspects. Following an intense, overnight search operation, five suspects have been detained for questioning. The police have successfully recovered one of the stolen mobile phones near a factory in the Kolar area, where the miscreants had abandoned it while fleeing.

 

Commissioner Mishra assured the press that the recovered mobile phone was undamaged and had not been tampered with. He expressed confidence that the main culprits would be apprehended shortly. Incident Puts Police Functioning Under Scrutiny: The high-profile crime, occurring against an IG-level officer in a colony widely regarded as Bhopal’s most secure, the residence of several top state officials and ministers, has raised serious questions about the efficacy of police operations and security in the city. The incident underscores recent concerns raised by ‘The Hitavada’ regarding the rising number of theft and snatching incidents across the city.