The Indian Army’s Southern Command has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the theft of weapons and ammunition from the 20 Madras Regiment at Bolarum in Secunderabad Cantonment, placing a Major General-rank officer at the head of the panel. The inquiry will examine how a retired havildar was able to remove military-grade firearms from the unit’s armoury and ammunition store on the night of 30–31 August.
A senior Army officer said the Major General of the division based in Pune will preside over the panel, assisted by other senior officers. The inquiry will focus on procedural lapses, security arrangements at the unit and the sequence of events that allowed the theft to take place. The panel is also expected to recommend corrective measures.
Headquarters, Southern Command, Pune, which has ordered the Court of Inquiry.
The theft and the accused
Telangana Police have arrested Upputholla Mallesh, also identified as U. Mallesh, a 37-year-old retired havildar of the same battalion. He joined the Army in 2010, served for 16 years and was discharged on 30 June 2026 on grounds of ill health and indiscipline. He is a native of Jangamreddipalle in Amrabad mandal of Nagarkurnool district and had been living near the regiment area.
According to police, Mallesh exploited his familiarity with the premises. He is alleged to have reconnoitred the site on 28 and 29 August, identified CCTV blind spots and gaps in night surveillance, and entered the campus on a two-wheeler around 11 p.m. on 30 August. Investigators say he passed through a gate by identifying himself as belonging to the regiment, forced the locks of the Kote (arms store) and the battalion magazine, and removed weapons and ammunition from rooms located several dozen metres apart. The stolen cache was later hidden and, according to police, recovered from more than one location, including an open area in Nagarkurnool district.
The discrepancy was noticed at about 7.50 a.m. on 31 August, when personnel opened the stores and found the locks broken. The weapons had last been physically accounted for on the evening of 30 August. A complaint was lodged by Lieutenant Colonel Mayank Govitirkar of 20 Madras at Bolarum police station. Some reports state that a substantial part of the battalion, including its commanding officer, was away at Pokhran for field firing at the time.
What was stolen and recovered
Police have stated that the entire cache has been recovered. The haul, as detailed at a briefing by Telangana Director General of Police C.V. Anand, comprised:
- four AK-203 assault rifles and associated magazines
- one 5.56 mm INSAS 1B1 rifle and magazines
- six 9 mm Auto 1A pistols and magazines
- one civilian 6.35-bore pistol
- a passive night-vision binocular
- more than 1,900 rounds of ammunition, including 1,156 rounds of 9 mm and 720 rounds of AK-203 ammunition
That inventory amounts to 12 firearms, 21 magazines and related equipment.
Police have described the suspected motive as resentment over early retirement and a grudge against seniors, including, in one account, the commanding officer. DGP Anand has said investigators have not so far established links to terrorism, espionage or organised crime, though that line of inquiry has not been formally closed. The Army and police have also indicated that the possible role of other personnel remains under examination.
Security lapses now before the inquiry
Early findings cited by Army sources point to weaknesses in both physical security and unit procedure. The location of the Kote has been described as unsuitable even though the battalion occupies a static cantonment site. A road through the area is open to civilian vehicles without adequate checks, making unauthorised entry easier. CCTV coverage at the armoury has been described as inadequate; earlier reporting also referred to cameras being switched off at night. Inventory records were said to have been poorly maintained in the period leading up to the theft. Guards on duty reported seeing nothing despite the two stores being forced open.
A team from Southern Command Military Intelligence worked with Telangana Police including State Intelligence, the Hyderabad City Task Force and the Malkajgiri Special Operations Team and is expected to share its findings with the Court of Inquiry. The National Investigation Agency had also examined the case at an earlier stage.
Scope of the Army inquiry
Unlike the criminal investigation, which has produced an arrest and recovery of the weapons, the Court of Inquiry is an internal Army process. It will assess how locks, keys, sentry routines, night surveillance, access control and grievance handling failed, and whether discontent among serving or recently retired personnel was identified and addressed. Army sources have underlined the responsibility of the adjutant and the unit Subedar Major in dealing with such grievances.
The panel’s report is expected to recommend changes to security at static cantonment locations, including CCTV coverage, vehicle checks and the siting of armouries. No public timeline has been announced for completion of the inquiry, and the Major General heading it has not been named.
The criminal case continues in the civilian courts under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions invoked at Bolarum police station. The Army inquiry will run in parallel and is confined to service procedure, command responsibility and institutional safeguards.
