Telangana Police have cracked the sensational theft of weapons and ammunition from the headquarters of the Indian Army’s 20 Madras Regiment in Bolarum, Hyderabad, with the arrest of a former Army Havildar. The investigation has also resulted in the recovery of the entire cache of stolen arms, ammunition and other military equipment.
The theft took place on the intervening night of August 30 and 31, 2026. The stolen items included four AK-203 assault rifles, one INSAS rifle, seven pistols, five AK magazines, three INSAS magazines, 13 pistol magazines, a night-vision binocular and a substantial quantity of ammunition.
The accused has been identified as Mallesh alias Raju, a former Havildar who had been discharged from the Indian Army on June 30, 2026, reportedly on disciplinary and health-related grounds. The exact nature of the disciplinary issues that led to his discharge has not been publicly detailed.
Following the discovery of the theft, a major joint investigation was launched involving the Malkajgiri Special Operations Team (SOT), Military Intelligence, Telangana Intelligence and the Hyderabad City Police Task Force. Investigators initially shortlisted around 16 key suspects who had direct access to sensitive areas of the facility.
The investigation was subsequently expanded to examine Quick Reaction Team personnel, outsourced staff, personnel who had faced disciplinary action and those who had recently retired or been discharged from service. Investigators reportedly analysed data linked to more than 8.5 lakh mobile numbers along with CCTV footage, fingerprints and other forensic evidence to identify the person responsible for the theft.
The investigation eventually zeroed in on Mallesh. According to police, the former Havildar was familiar with the Army facility and its security arrangements. He allegedly conducted reconnaissance on August 28 and 29, two days before the theft, and identified dark spots and areas that were not adequately covered by CCTV cameras.
At around 11 pm on August 30, Mallesh allegedly entered the area and stole the weapons, magazines, ammunition and other equipment. Investigators said he initially transported the stolen cache on his motorcycle before transferring it to his Maruti Suzuki Brezza car.
He then allegedly travelled towards Achampet. In an apparent attempt to conceal his movements and make his journey appear routine, Mallesh reportedly picked up paying passengers along the way.
After reaching the area near his house, the former Havildar allegedly concealed the stolen weapons beneath grass and soil. As the investigation intensified, he is said to have periodically shifted the cache to different locations before eventually hiding it again at the original spot.
The investigation reached a breakthrough on September 10 when Mallesh was confronted during questioning in the presence of his family and police personnel. He reportedly confessed to stealing the weapons and disclosed the location where they had been concealed.
Acting on the information provided by the accused, investigators recovered the entire cache of stolen arms and ammunition. The recovery included the AK-203 rifles, INSAS rifle, pistols, magazines, ammunition and other equipment reported missing from the Army facility.
The recovery has brought relief to security agencies amid concerns that the military-grade weapons could have fallen into criminal hands. The case also involved extensive coordination between Telangana Police, state intelligence agencies and Military Intelligence.
Further investigation is underway to establish the precise motive behind the theft, determine whether Mallesh acted entirely on his own and reconstruct the complete sequence of events surrounding one of the most serious recent security breaches involving weapons from an Army facility in Hyderabad.
