Secunderabad Armoury Heist: Ex-Soldier Sent to Police Custody for Seven Days

September 13, 2026

Hyderabad: A court in Telangana’s Secunderabad has sent former Army non-commissioned officer (NCO) Upputholla Mallesh to police custody for seven days in connection with the theft of firearms and ammunition from the armoury of the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, in Bolarum.

Police will take Mallesh into custody on Monday for further interrogation in the sensational armoury heist case, sources said on Sunday. Investigators are expected to question him based on information provided during preliminary questioning following his arrest.

Mallesh Allegedly Stole Arms on August 30-31

Mallesh, 37, allegedly committed the theft on the intervening night of August 30 and 31. Telangana Police announced his arrest on September 11, after which he was sent to judicial custody for 14 days and lodged at Chanchalguda Central Prison.

During police custody, investigators are likely to question Mallesh about whether anyone assisted him in carrying out the theft and whether he handed over any of the stolen weapons to others for concealment.

Telangana Police will also share details gathered during the interrogation with the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Army authorities for further investigation.

Police Probe Possible Role of Others

Telangana Director General of Police C. V. Anand said at a press conference on Friday that, prima facie, Mallesh appeared to have acted alone in committing the offence. However, he said police were continuing to investigate the possible involvement of others.

The DGP also announced that the entire cache of arms and ammunition stolen from the Kote & Magazine of the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, had been recovered.

Bolarum Police, along with the Hyderabad Task Force and SOT Malkajgiri Commissionerate, arrested Mallesh in a joint operation.

The preliminary motive behind the theft appears to be disgruntlement over his early retirement from service, the DGP said.

Ex-Soldier’s Movements Under Scanner

Mallesh, a native of Jangareddypalle village in Nagarkurnool district, joined the Indian Army in 2010 and served for 16 years before retiring on June 30, 2026, on grounds of indiscipline and poor health.

After a detailed investigation, police zeroed in on Mallesh, who was staying with his family in Balajinagar in Secunderabad Cantonment. Investigators found his movements since August 27 and on the day of the offence suspicious and inconsistent with his statements.

According to the investigation, Mallesh visited the area on August 27, 28 and 29 to conduct a recce of the arms depository. On the night of August 30, he allegedly broke the lock of the arms and ammunition stores and carried the stolen cache on his motorcycle. He later transported the weapons and ammunition in his car to Nagarkurnool district, where he hid them near his house.

The stolen cache included four AK-203 assault rifles with five magazines, one INSAS rifle with three magazines, six 9 mm pistols with 12 magazines, one civilian 6.35-bore pistol with a magazine, one passive night-vision binocular and a large quantity of ammunition.

The ammunition included 1,156 rounds of 9 mm pistol ammunition, 720 rounds of AK-203 ammunition, 11 ball rounds, five tracer rounds and 20 blank rounds of 5.56 mm INSAS ammunition.