Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Security arrangements in the state capital's high-security VIP zone have come under scrutiny after thieves stole a sandalwood tree from the bungalow of IAS officer Vivek Porwal in Char Imli, next to DGP Kailash Makwana's residence.
The incident reportedly took place between 2 am and 3 am on Tuesday, raising serious questions about security in one of the city's most heavily guarded localities.
According to information, unidentified thieves entered the IAS officer's premises, cut down a sandalwood tree and fled with it. The theft came to light later, prompting police to launch an investigation.
Habibganj police station in-charge Sanjeev Chouksey said CCTV footage showed two suspects in the area. Police are examining the footage to identify them.
Commissioner of police Sanjay Kumar said several teams had been deployed to investigate the case. Police are also questioning people previously accused of sandalwood theft to establish whether they had any role in the incident.
Char Imli is one of Bhopal's most high-profile residential areas, housing senior administrative and police officers, politicians and other prominent individuals.
Sandalwood thefts have previously been reported from several prominent locations across Bhopal. In an earlier incident, sandalwood trees were found cut inside the Legislative Assembly premises. Similar cases have been reported from Raj Bhavan, 74 Bungalows and Gufa Mandir over the past few years.
