Kerala crime branch to probe security breach at Cochin Shipyard

The theft discovered from India's first indigenously developed under-construction aircraft carrier in Kochi may not result in strategic threats, defence officials said here on Wednesday, even as Kerala police handed over investigation of the case to its crime branch on Monday.

The ship is yet to be handed over to the Indian Navy and as per defence sources does not contain any sensitive strategic security information. The aircraft carrier, which will be named INS Vikrant, only once it is commissioned into the Navy, is at present being constructed at the Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL) in Kochi, Kerala.

The security breach at CSL is, however, being thoroughly investigated by Kerala police after registration of a First Information Report (FIR) pertaining to the theft.

As per sources, the theft was discovered by staff of CSL on September 16 following which a police complaint was lodged.

"The items that have been stolen from the under-construction ship are said to be commercially available electronic products. No sensitive information pertaining to the national security of the country has been placed on board the under-construction ship. It is yet to be commissioned into the Navy," a defence source told IANS.

The FIR had been registered on September 16 in Ernakulam Town South Police Station of Kochi on the basis of a complaint by the CSL.

"As per the complaint, computer accessories were stolen from the under-construction ship. The complainant has reported theft of five computer hard disks but the time of occurrence of the theft has not been mentioned. The matter is being investigated thoroughly," a senior Kerala cop told IANS.