Security guard held for roaming in Commando dress near Fort William

A routine vehicle interception by traffic authorities escalated into a security scare near the high-security military zone of Fort William late Monday night. A Traffic Officer deployed on Khidderpore Road stopped a commercial black Mahindra Scorpio bearing registration number WB-29B-4659 near the South Gate of Fort William. Upon inspecting the vehicle, the officer noticed an occupant dressed in a camouflage, commando-style uniform, which raised immediate security concerns given the proximity to the Army headquarters.

The individual was intercepted and subjected to initial questioning on the spot. He identified himself as 29-year-old Akash Sonar, a resident of Muktapukur, Natunpara, under the Titagarh Police Station limits in Barrackpore, North 24 Parganas. Sonar claimed that he was not an impostor but was employed as a private security guard with Five Star Logistic Pvt. Ltd., a firm based in Haldia, Purba Medinipur, and argued that the attire was related to his employment.

​The unusual uniform quickly caught the attention of an Army Intelligence personnel stationed nearby. Acting on immediate directives from higher military officials, the intelligence operative took Sonar into custody and escorted him to the Army office located inside Fort William for a comprehensive verification process. Military authorities conducted a thorough examination of his background, credentials, and electronic items to rule out any espionage or subversive threat.

​Following the detailed interrogation, the Army authorities concluded that the individual had no suspicious or anti-national involvement. He was subsequently handed over to the local civilian police department. While the military chose not to lodge a formal complaint, the local police department has registered a suo motu case regarding the unauthorized use of military-style camouflage dress in a restricted zone, under which Sonar has been formally placed under arrest.