A retired Army havildar, who was dismissed from a post-retirement job in June for indiscipline, allegedly stole 12 military-grade weapons and ammunition from the Madras Regiment armoury in Bollarum on the night of August 30, apparently driven by anger towards his former superiors.
The 37-year-old accused, Upputholla Mallesh, is alleged to have carried five assault rifles and seven pistols out of the heavily guarded cantonment on his Activa scooter. Senior police officers said on Friday that Mallesh, who was reportedly upset after losing his job, may have stolen the weapons as an act of revenge. Investigators, however, said his exact motive is yet to be established.
Police said the case was cracked after Mallesh’s wife and father-in-law were questioned. His wife subsequently confronted him over the theft and persuaded him to surrender to the authorities. Mallesh then assisted investigators in recovering the stolen weapons.
Telangana DGP C V Anand said Mallesh had been arrested and that the weapons were recovered from an open field in Nagarkurnool district, around 185km from Bollarum, where they had been concealed beneath stacks of hay.
Investigators said Mallesh had meticulously planned the theft and conducted reconnaissance of the armoury on August 28 and 29, two days before the incident. Having served with the Army for 16 years, including with the 20th Battalion of the Madras Regiment, he was familiar with the cantonment’s terrain and understood the armoury’s functioning and security arrangements.
The investigation is continuing to determine the precise motive behind the theft and whether anyone else was involved.
