Varanasi, Oct 26: A young man allegedly impersonating an officer of the Indian Army was apprehended by police during the Indian Air Force air show in Varanasi, officials said on Monday, IANS reported. According to officials, the incident took place during the October 24 air show. The suspect was moving around under tight security arrangements while falsely claiming to be a Captain in the Army.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

Police became alert after receiving information that a suspicious individual was roaming near the helipad located at Namo Ghat and introducing himself as a military officer, officials said. In a written complaint, Sub-Inspector Chandan Kumar, posted at Adampur Police Station and deployed at Namo Ghat as part of the security arrangements for Air Show-2026 along with Head Constable Hriday Narayan Maurya and Constable Mehboob Alam, stated that the team reached the spot on the tip-off and began questioning the individual. When interrogated, the man introduced himself as Captain Arpit Chaturvedi and claimed to be serving as an officer in the Indian Army, IANS reported.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

During preliminary inquiries and subsequent verification, authorities discovered that his claim of being an Army captain was false and that he was not associated with the Indian Army. Police registered a case against the accused, identified as Arpit Chaturvedi, under the relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and initiated a detailed investigation into the matter, officials said.

Source: IANS via hi INDiA

Oct 24Day of the air show when the suspect was apprehended near the Namo Ghat helipad
Adampur PSPolice station where the case was registered on Sub-Inspector Chandan Kumar's complaint
Air Show-2026IAF Day aerial display at Namo Ghat during which the security breach occurred

SSBCrack, in its separate reporting on the arrest, said the accused is a resident of the Nadesar area of Varanasi and that, according to station in-charge Vimal Mishra, he admitted during questioning that he had come to Namo Ghat to watch the air show and had resorted to false claims for entry; Adampur police subsequently submitted the challan. The allegation of impersonation has not been proved in court.

Source: SSBCrack

The incident took place during the multi-day IAF Day aerial display over Varanasi's ghats, titled 'Wings over Ganges', whose finale on Sunday featured the Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team and was attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as chief guest, ANI reported. Police said the investigation into how the man entered the secured area is continuing.

Source: ANI via DailyPrabhat