Hyderabad: Telangana Police have arrested a former Army officer in connection with the theft of firearms from the Madras Regiment facility at Bollaram in Secunderabad Cantonment and recovered the stolen weapons from a house in Hyderabad, officials said on September 11.
The stolen cache included four AK-203 assault rifles, one INSAS rifle and seven pistols, along with magazines and ammunition. Around 1,800 rounds of ammunition were also reported missing.
Reportedly, the former officer had previously served with the Madras Regiment and is suspected of removing the weapons from the military compound and taking them to a house in Hyderabad, where they were concealed. The recovery was made after an investigation led by Malkajgiri police, which continued for nearly two weeks.
The theft came to light on August 31, when Army personnel opened the weapons storage facility at around 7.50 am and found the locks broken.
The facility, located in the Bollaram area of Secunderabad Cantonment, houses the armoury of the 20 Madras Regiment. A complaint was subsequently lodged at Bollaram Police Station, leading to a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The theft triggered a multi-agency investigation involving Malkajgiri police, Army authorities and Military Intelligence. Investigators questioned personnel who had access to the armoury and examined weapon records, access details and security arrangements.
