Cannon event! 16th century artefact weighing 3.5 tonnes stolen from MP’s Narwar Fort

A rare 16th-century cannon, weighing nearly 3.5 tonnes, was stolen from Madhya Pradesh’s historic Narwar Fort. The theft took place on the intervening night of July 15 and 16, when a group of 25 to 30 armed men allegedly entered the hill fort in Shivpuri district through a rugged rear route. According to security personnel, the gang threatened the unarmed guards before loading the massive cannon onto waiting vehicles and fleeing the spot.

Notably, this is not a first time an artillery piece disappeared from the same monument. In a similar theft 19 years ago, another cannon was stolen from the site. The latest incident has triggered questions over the security of protected heritage sites and the possible role of organised antique-smuggling networks.

The stolen cannon was one of 14 historic artillery pieces displayed in the fort's courtyard. Only 13 now remain.

Investigators suspect the operation was planned well in advance. Police believe the gang had made an unsuccessful attempt to steal the same cannon on July 5 after pushing it from its original position. However, they were reportedly unable to transport it because of its weight. They allegedly returned 10 days later with loading vehicles and the equipment needed to move the centuries-old relic.

Tyre marks found along the fort's rear approach are being examined as investigators work to trace the route used by the suspects.

Officials from the State Archaeology Department said the cannons housed at Narwar Fort are crafted from alloys such as brass, bronze, copper and ashtadhatu, and carry royal insignia along with inscriptions in Persian and Devanagari. While their monetary value cannot be officially estimated, experts believe such military relics command huge prices in the illegal international antiquities market.

The theft has revived memories of the 2007 disappearance of another Mughal-era cannon from the fort's Kachahari Mahal complex. That cannon, measuring nearly seven feet in length and weighing around 30 quintals, was never recovered.

A case has been registered at Narwar police station. Gwalior Range Inspector General Arvind Saxena said the absence of CCTV cameras inside the fort has made the investigation more difficult. Police are relying on surveillance footage from roads leading to the monument and are also examining the possibility that an organised international antique-smuggling gang was behind the theft.