A late-night scuffle inside a hostel at the Indian Institute of Technology, IIT Bombay, has snowballed into a chilling security scare, one that is now forcing uncomfortable questions about how secure India’s most prestigious campuses truly are.
What initially appeared to be a routine intervention in a student dispute took a far more alarming turn when five live 7.65 mm cartridges were allegedly recovered from a hostel room on the Powai campus. The discovery of live ammunition within the residential quarters of one of the country’s top academic institutions has sparked serious concerns about campus safety protocols.
How did ammunition make its way inside a high-security academic zone? Were identity checks and visitor controls robust enough? Is the surveillance system adequate to monitor thousands of students, staff, and visitors who move around the campus daily?
Acting on a complaint filed by campus security, the Powai Police registered an FIR and arrested 23-year-old IIT-B dropout Anand Chaudhary under charges related to the illegal possession and transportation of ammunition.
The incident has not only rattled students and parents but also reignited a larger debate: Are India’s premier institutions equipped to handle emerging security threats, or did this episode expose dangerous gaps in the system?
WHAT TRIGGERED THE LATE-NIGHT SEARCH?
The incident occurred in the early hours of February 19 when the campus Quick Response Team alerted security officials around 1:30 am about a verbal altercation between two first-year BTech students in Hostel No. 1.
The disagreement, reportedly over a monetary transaction, involved residents of Rooms 93 and 89.
Although the argument had subsided by the time officials reached the spot, security personnel allegedly detected the smell of alcohol on the students, a violation of campus rules. This prompted a decision to search for the rooms.
During the inspection, officials examined a black bag kept inside one of the rooms. Inside its front compartment, they found five live yellow-metal cartridges.
WHO IS ACCUSED OF BRINGING THE LIVE CARTRIDGES TO CAMPUS?
When questioned, the student in whose room the bag was found claimed it belonged to his friend, Anand Chaudhary, a former student who had dropped out of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay.
Police said Chaudhary, a resident of Samastipur in Bihar, had allegedly purchased the 7.65 mm cartridges from Munger and placed them in the bag during a visit to the Powai campus on February 12. He was detained upon returning to campus on February 19 and allegedly admitted to procuring the ammunition from Bihar.
The cartridges were later handed over to the Powai Police, who registered a case under relevant provisions related to illegal possession and transportation of ammunition.
WHAT DID THE INSTITUTE SAY ABOUT THE HOSTEL INCIDENT?
In an official clarification following the recovery of live ammunition from a hostel room, IIT Bombay outlined the sequence of events and the action taken by authorities. Providing an update on the incident, the institute said the bullets were brought to campus by a visitor of a student residing in the hostel. The two individuals are childhood friends.
“This came to our knowledge when two students had a physical altercation in the hostel, and security intervened. One of the students was found to be in a drunken state,” the institute stated.
As part of standard protocol, security personnel conducted a room check. Liquor bottles were recovered during the search, and upon further inspection, live ammunition was found inside the room.
“Please note that no weapon was found,” the statement clarified.
A detailed internal inquiry was subsequently carried out by the Chief Security Officer (CSO) and the security team before the matter was handed over to the Powai Police. An FIR was registered, and the visitor was produced before a judge and remanded to judicial custody.
“The students were questioned by police and released. The matter is pending with the Powai Police. We will keep you updated if anything important emerges. Disciplinary action will be taken as per procedure,” the institute added.
RECURRING CONCERNS OVER CAMPUS SECURITY
This is not the first instance in which IIT Bombay has faced scrutiny over campus security.
In a previous case, a 22-year-old man from Surat allegedly entered the institute by impersonating a PhD scholar and remained on campus for nearly a month without being detected. Identified as Bilal Ahmad Teli, he is said to have relied on forged admission documents to establish credibility.
During that period, he reportedly attended lectures and seminars, including those focused on Artificial Intelligence, and spent nights in hostel common areas.
The situation came to light only when a staff member spotted him sleeping on a sofa and sought to verify his credentials. A review of CCTV footage subsequently confirmed that he was not an enrolled student.
The apparent ease with which he accessed classrooms, academic events and shared facilities for weeks prompted serious concerns about identity verification processes and the effectiveness of campus surveillance mechanisms.
HOW DID SECURITY PROTOCOLS FAIL AGAIN?
Following last year’s breach, IIT Bombay had reportedly engaged the Maharashtra Security Force to strengthen gate checks and tighten surveillance.
However, officials associated with the current investigation point to continuing lapses. According to police sources, there is no systematic frisking or scanning process for visitors entering the campus.
The latest incident suggests that despite heightened awareness after the earlier infiltration, enforcement at entry points may still lack the rigour required for a campus that houses thousands of students, faculty members and sensitive research facilities.
WHAT BROADER QUESTIONS DOES THIS RAISE?
IIT campuses are not merely academic institutions. They are hubs of advanced research, innovation and national talent development. Security vulnerabilities at such institutions carry implications that go beyond student safety.
The discovery of live ammunition inside a hostel room underscores concerns about weapon access, visitor regulation and emergency preparedness. It also brings into focus whether premier institutes have found the right balance between preserving open academic environments and implementing robust security measures.
TIME FOR A SECURITY RESET?
The recovery of five live cartridges from inside a hostel room at IIT Bombay is more than an isolated incident. Coupled with last year’s impersonation case, it signals systemic weaknesses that demand urgent attention.
As investigations continue into the source of the ammunition and possible criminal links, the episode serves as a wake-up call for institutions across India. The challenge now is not merely to react to individual breaches but to undertake a comprehensive security audit that safeguards campuses without compromising their academic openness.
For India’s premier institutions, reputation alone cannot be a shield. Vigilance, accountability and robust security protocols must now take centre stage.
