The Telangana State Police has successfully solved the high-profile weapons theft case from the 20 Madras Regiment Armoury at Bollarum. The investigation involved elite teams from State Intelligence, HCP Task Force and Malkajgiri SOT, working in close coordination with Military Intelligence. Despite conducting extensive technical analysis, mobile forensics and CCTV examination, investigators initially struggled to find concrete leads. The teams explored multiple angles including organised crime, mafia networks, drug cartels, espionage and potential threats to national security before achieving a breakthrough.
Following fresh leads and thorough analysis, the investigation eventually zeroed in on U. Mallesh, a retired Indian Army Havildar. Mallesh exploited his intimate knowledge of the military facility and its security procedures to execute the theft during the intervening night of August 30 and 31. The former serviceman had meticulously studied the security arrangements for three days before committing the crime. He identified gaps in CCTV coverage and strategically planned his operation. After stealing the weapons, he attempted to create an alibi to mislead investigators.
The police have recovered the entire stolen cache from Mallesh’s possession. The recovered items include 12 firearms, 21 magazines, a night-vision binocular and over 1,900 live rounds of ammunition. The successful recovery of all stolen military equipment has been a major relief for both the police and military authorities. Given the sensitive nature of the weapons and ammunition involved, the complete recovery has eliminated potential security threats that could have arisen from these items falling into wrong hands.
The case highlights the serious security breach at a military installation and raises questions about access control for former military personnel. Mallesh’s familiarity with the armoury’s layout and security protocols, gained during his service years, enabled him to identify vulnerabilities in the system. Further investigation is currently underway to determine whether Mallesh acted alone or had accomplices, and to establish the intended purpose behind the theft of such a significant quantity of military-grade weapons and ammunition.
