Thiruvananthapuram: Two ivory pieces worth over ₹2 crore went missing from a military station at Pangod here and police have launched an investigation into the incident, officials said on Friday.

The Poojappura police registered a case and took 17 people into custody, they said.

As per the FIR registered based on a complaint by an officer of the Indian Army's Madras Regiment, the two ivory worth ₹2 crore, kept at the officers' mess, were found stolen.

The FIR said that a DJ party took place between Wednesday night and Thursday morning, and it is suspected that someone who arrived for the event was involved in the theft.

The case has been registered under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for house trespass and theft of government property.

Based on information provided by officials at the military camp regarding outsiders who entered the premises as part of the DJ party, 17 persons from various parts of Thiruvananthapuram were taken into custody on Thursday.

Police on Thursday also registered a separate case to keep the suspects in preventive detention as part of the investigation, officials said.

Police officials at the Poojappura police station said interrogation of those detained is underway and a detailed probe is required to recover the missing ivory.

Officials said the ivory had been in the military camp since it began operations several decades ago.

PTI