Quick Read
- Five live 7.65 mm cartridges were seized from a student’s bag at IIT Bombay hostel on February 19, 2026.
- A 23-year-old college dropout, Sarvottam Chaudhary from Bihar, was arrested under the Arms Act in connection with the seizure.
- Chaudhary allegedly entered the campus with a bogus ID and stayed as a guest, bringing the ammunition from Bihar.
- Police are investigating the ammunition’s origin in Munger, Bihar, and potential links to illegal arms trade.
- This is the second major security breach at IIT Bombay, following a similar incident last year involving a ‘bogus PhD student’.
MUMBAI (Azat TV) – Security measures have been significantly increased at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay in Powai after five live 7.65 mm cartridges were seized from a student’s bag in a hostel room. The incident, which came to light on February 19, 2026, led to the arrest of 23-year-old Sarvottam Chaudhary, a college dropout from Bihar, under the Arms Act. This marks the second major security breach at the prestigious institution in recent memory, raising serious questions about campus access controls.
The discovery was made during a routine hostel inspection following a dispute between students over a financial matter. Hostel security intervened after noticing an argument on the ground floor of Hostel No. 1 and suspected alcohol consumption by some students, which is prohibited on campus. During a subsequent room search, five live 7.65 mm cartridges, marked ‘KF 7.65’, were found in a black bag on a bed in room No. 93, occupied by first-year BTech student Suraj Dubey.
IIT Bombay Security Breach Uncovered
According to officials, Suraj Dubey initially claimed the bag belonged to his friend Apoorva Mishra, also a hostel resident. Apoorva Mishra then told security personnel that the cartridges belonged to his childhood friend, Sarvottam Chaudhary, a resident of Samastipur, Bihar. Chaudhary had reportedly visited IIT Powai on February 12 and had placed the ammunition in the bag during his stay as a guest in Mishra’s room. He had allegedly entered the campus using a bogus identity card.
Sarvottam Chaudhary was detained when he returned to the campus on February 19 and was subsequently handed over to Powai police. He was formally arrested and produced in court on Saturday, February 21, and remanded in police custody. Police are now investigating how Chaudhary obtained the bogus ID card and how he managed to stay on campus for five days undetected.
Investigation into Ammunition’s Bihar Origin
Powai police have launched a detailed investigation into the matter, with preliminary findings suggesting the cartridges were procured from Munger in Bihar. Officials are probing the supply source of the ammunition and whether Chaudhary has any links with local criminals. His call records are being examined as part of the inquiry. Investigators are also trying to determine the intent behind keeping live ammunition inside the hostel and the whereabouts of any firearm that might be linked to the recovered cartridges, suspecting he may have sold a weapon along with some rounds.
This ‘Bihar link’ is a significant focus for the authorities, aiming to uncover any wider network or connections involved in transporting illegal ammunition. The incident has prompted a heightened security alert across the IIT Bombay campus, with authorities continuing to probe all angles of the case.
Previous Security Lapses at IIT Bombay
This incident is not an isolated one for IIT Bombay. Last year, the institution faced another significant security breach when a 22-year-old Surat resident allegedly posed as a PhD student, using forged admission documents, and stayed inside the campus for nearly a month. This individual reportedly attended Artificial Intelligence seminars and lectures without detection, raising questions from various authorities, including central agencies, who subsequently questioned the imposter for a week.
Despite IIT Mumbai having hired the Maharashtra Security Force to tighten checking at the campus gates, police officers associated with the current probe have noted that ‘there is no proper scanning or frisking while visiting the campus,’ indicating persistent lapses in security protocols. The recurrence of such incidents underscores ongoing challenges in maintaining the integrity and safety of the campus environment.
The repeated security breaches at IIT Bombay, culminating in the seizure of live ammunition and the arrest of an individual with a bogus ID, underscore a critical need for a comprehensive overhaul of campus security protocols and visitor vetting processes. The alleged Bihar link for the ammunition further complicates the situation, suggesting potential external threats that a premier educational institution must urgently address.