Imposter Caught at Roorkee Cantonment; Investigation Underway into Intent and Connections
A man pretending to be an Indian Army soldier was captured near the MES gate within the Roorkee Military Cantonment located in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district on Thursday. The arrest was made after a tip-off from Army intelligence prompted a coordinated effort involving the Army, local police, and intelligence agencies, which led to the suspect's detention before he could enter deeper into the restricted area.
Haridwar Senior Superintendent of Police Pramod Dobhal stated that Army intelligence officers initially detected the man’s suspicious activities in the military zone. When questioned, he was unable to provide valid identification, which led to swift action by the authorities.
The individual was identified as Surendra Kumar, hailing from Kolsiya village in Rajasthan’s Jhunjhunu district. During the investigation, officials confiscated 18 debit cards, a fabricated Army ID card, a counterfeit joining letter, a nameplate, and the Army uniform he was wearing. Law enforcement confirmed that Kumar has no ties to the military, and an investigation has been launched to ascertain his motives and any potential connections to larger networks.
This incident mirrors a case from September 2025 in Maharashtra, where a 48-year-old woman named Ruchika Jain from Sambhajinagar was detained for allegedly masquerading as a retired Army officer. She was accused of attending public events in a military uniform, asserting that she was a former Captain in the Indian Army. Authorities discovered a collection of ceremonial and combat uniforms, medals, insignia, and other military items at her home.
Officials are currently investigating whether the impersonation incidents in Roorkee and Sambhajinagar are isolated events or part of a larger trend targeting the armed forces.
