Thieves strike at presidential estate

Security was breached at the Rashtrapati Bhavan complex on Wednesday night when burglars decamped with a computer and three pairs of dumbbells from the office of President Pratibha Patil’s officer on special duty (OSD).

The police, who have called the burglary an insider’s job, registered a case on Friday based on an FIR by Tasmim Ahmed, who works at the health centre where the office of the OSD — wing commander Vikram Dutta — is located.

Ahmed told the police there was water-logging at the health centre after a downpour on Wednesday night. To drain out the water, the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) sent Chandra Shekhar, to whom Ahmed gave the office keys. The CPWD employee returned the keys to Ahmed after completing the work.

The next morning, Ahmed found the doors of the place open and some items missing from Dutta’s room. After an FIR was lodged, the police pressed into service a team of special officers and a dog squad. The police are questioning guards at the health centre.