Mumbai:
After the Mumbai terror strike, the Mumbai airport has become one of the city's high security zones. But in a shocking security lapse, four intruders entered the Air India cargo complex, looted 145 kg worth of gold and silver coins in broad daylight and escaped.
What makes this incident all the more shocking is that the robbery took place right next to path, which aircrafts take to reach the runway and very close to a police station and CISF post.
According to Air India and the police, the four intruders entered the complex in a car and threatened the security guard at the entrance with guns. And while the Air India guards were screening 145 kilos of gold and silver coins, they escaped with 94.5 kg of the cargo.
"They were well dressed and had a cloth over their face," said Pandurang Chavan, an eewitness.
The Air India cargo complex is manned by private security guards hired by Air India.
"There was a security lapse at the Jet gate as the access control there is not proper," said Somnath Ghuge, Senior Police Inspector at the Airport Police Station.
Questions are now being asked about whether private security guards should be allowed to man cargo complexes in such a high security zone.