Two days before question papers were stolen from a Sangola school’s strong room, there had already been a robbery attempt at the same location. No one escalated it. On March 18, the exam went ahead as scheduled — the Board said it found no evidence the papers had reached students or been circulated on social media.
On March 18, even after the theft was discovered, the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education went ahead with the examination because, according to Audumbar Ukirde, Chairperson of the Pune Divisional Board, there was no evidence the papers had reached students or been circulated on social media.
On March 15, Block Education Officer Suyog Navale noticed black marks around the lock of a room adjacent to the actual strong room. “The robbers would not have known where the papers were stored,” he told The Indian Express. No papers were missing that day. Block Education Officer Suyog Navale informed the home guard present at the location — and stopped there. Senior police officials were not informed. Education authorities were not informed. The police station, Ukirde would later note, was just 200 to 300 metres away.
Two days later, the strong room itself was broken into. Two sets containing 50 question papers were stolen. An FIR was registered against an unidentified person. The Board decided the exam would go on.
By the evening of March 18, Sangola Police said the case had been cracked. In a press note, the police station said that based on confidential information and technical evidence, it was revealed that the crime was committed by a minor. Questioned in the presence of his parents, the child confessed to the crime. An electric cutter, an electric motorcycle, the stolen question papers and three blank answer sheets were seized. Further investigation is underway.
Ukirde was unambiguous about what should have happened. “If he had informed the police station it would have been taken seriously at that point itself. But he just told the home guard. The police constable also did not inform his seniors. Further, the home guard is supposed to sleep outside the custody room. However he did not do so and slept at another place. The police constable was also supposed to be present there but he was not. That is why he has been suspended.” he said.
Additional Superintendent of Police Pritam Yawalkar confirmed that the constable had not informed higher officials about the March 15 attempt.
Gaikwad defended his own suspension. “Sangola Vidyamandir as an examination centre is separate and the strong room given for custody of question papers at our campus is separate. The strong room comes under the Block Education Officer and he is supposed to follow the rules. I am supposed to take care of the examination centre rules, so how am I at fault?” he said.
