Two expensive GPS devices have gone missing from a private flying school in Jamshedpur, with the needle of suspicion pointing towards two pilots who resigned the same day when the navigation gadgets were last seen.
While Alchemist Aviation Private Limited reported the matter verbally to Sonari police on Friday, two days after the absence of the GPS sets came to light, a formal complaint will be lodged once the cradle's director who is out of town returns.
A senior official of Alchemist said the school had five aircraft for commercial pilot training. "We have three VT-152 two-seater planes, one VT-172 four-seater and one six-seater Piper Seneca. Since these are old aircraft models, they do not have in-built GPS. Therefore, the pilot has to take a GPS set along during training. We had only two of them, both are missing now," he said, requesting anonymity.
GPS or global positioning system is a space-based navigation system that provides location and time information in all weather conditions, anywhere on or near the Earth where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites. The system provides critical capabilities to military, civil and commercial users around the world.
The Alchemist official maintained that each of their external GPS set was priced at around Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh. "The gadgets disappeared on Wednesday. Director (of the company) Mrinal Kanti Pal is out of town. He is aware about the missing GPS sets. He will lodge a formal complaint with police as soon as he returns."
Sonari thana officer-in-charge Suman Anand said that they inspected the aviation school premises at Sonari aerodrome on Friday after receiving verbal intimation. "We shall begin a proper probe once a written complaint is lodged," Anand said, adding that intelligence officers might be involved in the investigations.
The senior official said the GPS devices were kept in safe custody and very few people knew where. "Officer (of the flying school) Kaushalendra Kumar holds direct charge, but he is on leave in Deoghar for four days. We have come to know that on Tuesday, a pilot called him and enquired about the GPS. The next day, two of the pilots resigned. The gadgets have been missing since," the official hinted at possible theft.
Incidentally, Alchemist witnessed change of guard eight months ago, prompting many of its employees to resign. The flying school is currently owned by Pal who is a city-based businessman.
Ever since the cradle management changed, flying sessions have remained suspended. However, ground training is being conducted for some 25 cadets.
