A youth from Jharkhand was detained in Coonoor after he allegedly produced a fake Indian Army identity card and claimed that he was an Army training officer associated with the Wellington Military College. His contradictory statements and discrepancies in his identity documents raised suspicion, following which he was handed over to the police on August 25.
On Tuesday, Hindu Munnani Nilgiris district secretary Hariharan, who manages a parking lot in Coonoor, was approached by the youth, who asked him to charge his mobile phone. Hariharan reportedly became suspicious after noticing that the youth appeared to be an outsider and questioned him about his personal details.
The youth identified himself as being from Madanpur in Jharkhand and claimed that he was imparting training to officers at Wellington Military College. He also produced what he claimed was an Army identity card.
However, when asked to produce his Aadhaar card, discrepancies emerged. The name on the Aadhaar card was reportedly Usman Ladin, while the Army ID card carried the name Tajmul. His statements were also found to be contradictory.
Finding the discrepancies suspicious, Hariharan detained him and handed him over to the police.
போலி இராணுவ அடையாள அட்டையுடன் மு**லீம் வாலிபர் குன்னூரில் கைது!
சதித்திட்டமா? என போலிசார் விசாரணை!!
குன்னூரில் நேற்று கார் பார்க்கிங் நிர்வாகி இந்துமுன்னணி மாவட்ட செயலாளர் ஹரி அவர்களிடம், செல்போன் சார்ஜ் போட ஒருவர் அணுகினார். அவரை விசாரித்த போது ஜார்கண்ட் மாநிலம் மதன்பூரை… pic.twitter.com/zL6KQziorB
— Hindu Munnani (@hindumunnani_tn) August 26, 2026
Army personnel subsequently verified the identity card and found it to be fake. Police registered a case against the youth for possessing and attempting to use a forged military identification card.
The incident has raised security concerns as Coonoor is located close to the highly secured Wellington Military Cantonment. The Wellington establishment houses the Madras Regimental Centre and the Defence Services Staff College.
A state police team led by DSP Ravi questioned the youth. During interrogation, he reportedly told the police that he had been staying in the Old Hospital area of Coonoor for the past two months at a friend’s house. He reportedly said that he was not working anywhere in the town.
The youth allegedly told investigators that he had created the identity card using AI technology. Police also found that he had allegedly been involved in theft cases and other crimes.
According to local sources, the youth was working as an artisan and was originally from Jharkhand.
Police are investigating his motive for creating and using a fake Army identity card and are also examining whether anyone assisted or directed him. The investigation is also looking into his movements and whether he had travelled to or stayed in other parts of Tamil Nadu or other States.
After registering the case, police produced him before a magistrate, who remanded him to judicial custody at Coonoor jail.
Hindu Munnani has sought a detailed investigation into the incident, including whether there was any wider conspiracy involving the security of defence installations or an attempt at infiltration. The organisation has also demanded a background check to establish whether others were behind the youth.
The organisation questioned how a person carrying a forged Army identity card could remain in the vicinity of a sensitive military establishment without being detected earlier, while crediting its functionary’s alertness for bringing the matter to the police.
The incident has also triggered concern among local residents over the reported use of AI technology to create fake defence credentials and the possibility of such documents being used to gain access or credibility around sensitive military establishments.
