New Delhi: Police have arrested a retired Havaldar in connection with the theft of a large number of weapons and cartridges from the Army Armoury in Secunderabad Cantonment, Telangana. The accused has been identified as Upputholla Mallesh, 37. According to police, on the intervening night of August 30 and 31, arms and ammunition were stolen from the ‘Bell of Arms’ located at the headquarters of 20 Battalion Madras Regiment. After investigation, the police reached out to the accused and recovered all the stolen weapons and cartridges.
What weapons and cartridges were stolen from the armoury?
According to the police, the stolen items included four AK-203 rifles, one 5.56 mm INSAS rifle, six 9 mm pistols and one civilian 6.35-bore pistol. Apart from this, 1,156 rounds of 9 mm, 720 rounds of AK-203, INSAS cartridges, magazines and other military equipment were also found missing. A passive night-vision binocular was also stolen. The police have now claimed to have recovered all these items.
Why did Mallesh get compulsory retirement?
Mallesh joined the Indian Army in 2010 and served as Havaldar in 20 Battalion Madras Regiment for about 16 years. According to the police, on June 30 this year, he was compulsorily retired due to health reasons and allegations of indiscipline.
Telangana DGP CV Anand said that initial investigation has not revealed any strong motive behind the theft. However, the police suspect that Mallesh was angry with the officials over his premature retirement. It is also being ascertained whether he had any connection with any group associated with anti-national, anti-social or organised crime.
How did the retired Havaldar reach the armoury at night?
According to the police, at around 11 pm on August 30, Mallesh reached the place where the army kept weapons and ammunition on a bike. He had previously worked in the same unit, so the security personnel posted at the gate did not raise any suspicion after seeing him. Police say Mallesh went inside the weapons unit and came out with a rifle, pistol, cartridges and night-vision equipment. After this he went to a nearby temple, where he unloaded the luggage. Then he again reached the armoury and also took out magazines from the other part of the ‘Bail of Arms’.
What did you do by keeping the stolen weapons in the car?
After leaving the armoury, Mallesh went on bike for some distance and then kept the stolen goods in his Maruti Brezza car. According to the police, he used to transport passengers in this car. After this he went towards Srisailam Road and on the way also picked up passengers in the car so that his activities appeared normal.
After dropping the passengers on the way, he reached his native village Amrabad. According to the police, he had hidden the stolen weapons in the village.
How did the police become suspicious of Mallesh?
On the morning of 31 August, information about weapons missing from the armoury came to light. Bolarum police registered a case on the complaint of arms centre in-charge Vinod Kumar Naik. Hyderabad Task Force, Special Operations Team, law and order police and intelligence officers were involved in the investigation.
The investigators compiled a list of those who had access to the ‘Belt of Arms’. Information was also taken from 16 soldiers who regularly used these modern weapons. Apart from this, 54 army personnel on leave and seven pensioned ex-army personnel were also interrogated.
How was the secret revealed through phone records and WhatsApp chats?
During the investigation, the police took the help of call records, WhatsApp chats, fingerprints and other technical evidence. According to the police, call records and deleted WhatsApp chats were found from Mallesh’s phone. During interrogation, his activities appeared suspicious and the police’s suspicion on him increased.
On September 7, the team of task force and intelligence officers reached Nagarkurnool district. After this Mallesh was interrogated. According to the police, initially he tried to hide the information, but later during interrogation he allegedly confessed to the theft.
Where were the weapons kept hidden?
According to DGP CV Anand, Mallesh had taken the stolen weapons to his native village. He initially hid the weapons in a haystack. Later, with the help of a friend, on September 6, he was taken out of there and kept in a house in the village. Police say that on September 8, the weapons were again taken to another place.
Is there terrorist or drug mafia connection behind weapon theft?
At present the police are not limiting the case to theft only. Possible links to terrorist activities, anti-national organisations and drug mafia are also being investigated. Military intelligence agencies will also conduct a parallel investigation into the case.
However, based on the initial investigation, the police suspect that Mallesh, angry over his premature retirement, committed the crime alone. A case has been registered against him under relevant sections of the Indian Judicial Code. After being produced in the court, he has been sent to judicial custody.
