Former Telangana Army Havildar arrested over theft of AK-203 rifles, ammunition

A former Havildar from Nagarkurnool district of Telangana was arrested on Friday in connection with the theft of weapons, including AK-203 assault rifles, and ammunition from an Army facility here last month, Telangana DGP CV Anand said.

Upputhalla Mallesh, 37, who served as a Havildar with the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, was retired prematurely from service in June this year due to indiscipline and poor health, he told reporters here.

The theft occurred on the intervening night of August 30 and 31, with Mallesh being the sole accused in the case, as per preliminary investigation. The stolen arms and ammunition were recovered intact from his residence, Anand said.

"We are still looking at the motive for the theft. An in-depth investigation will be carried out", he said. 

Preliminary investigation suggests that the theft may have been motivated by disgruntlement over his premature retirement, he said.

Police recovered four AK-203 rifles, one INSAS rifle and seven pistols, including six 9-mm pistols, along with their magazines, besides one passive night-vision binocular, 1,156 rounds of 9-mm ammunition and 720 rounds of AK-203 ammunition.

The accused was apprehended from his residence in Achampet of Nagarkurnool district, where the stolen arms and ammunition were kept, Anand said.

Mallesh joined the Indian Army in 2010 and served for 16 years before being retired from service on June 30 this year. 

The theft was detected on August 31 during the opening of 'Kote and Battalion Magazine' (Ammunition storage) when the door locks were found broken. Following a complaint, a case was registered at Bollarum police station.

Along with the Military Intelligence, Malkajgiri Commissionerate police, Intelligence department, Task Force of Hyderabad Police and other wings were tasked with detecting the case, the DGP said.

Prima-facie it appeared to be the work of an insider, because other people having access to the area was quite remote, he said.

The investigation agencies questioned the two incharges of the arms and ammunitions of the storage facility, but after initial interrogation of the two did not reveal much information, several others including those personnel, who went on leave, and the members who were pensioned out were put on the suspect and watch-list, the DGP said.

Apart from it, the intelligence wing and the agencies shortlisted several mobile numbers which were analysed.

When thorough interrogation and cross verification did not reveal any clue, police started investigation towards the angle of drug mafia, espionage and other factors affecting national security, he added.

After a week of analysis, police zeroed in on two persons, who had been pensioned out recently--a Havildar from Andhra Pradesh and Mallesh, the DGP said. The first Havildar was questioned and nothing was found after checking, but Mallesh, his behaviour and his movements created lot of suspicion, he said.

Mallesh was currently staying with his family in another house of a locality here near the Secunderabad cantonment, and the agencies identified him because his movements from August 27 till the day of offence and later were all suspicious, the DGP said adding police noticed his movements between August 27-29 and it was found out that he had done a recee of the area. 

On August 7, he was brought to a police station in Nagarkurnool and questioned.

 

Mallesh was asked by police to appear before them on August 8 and 9, but he did not, which only strengthened the suspicion, the DGP said.

Meanwhile, the police examined his cell phone which revealed that he had deleted all his chats and call records.

On September 10, while on the way to the Task Force office in Hyderabad, he confessed before his family about the theft.

With regard to the theft, the DGP said on August 30 at 11 pm, the accused reached Kote on a two-wheeler, and broke the locks and took away the arms and ammunition. He again returned to the facility to take the magazines covers.

He took advantage of darkness in the area besides he was aware that the CCTV was not functioning during that period, Anand said.

Though, one security guard asked him where he was heading towards then he replied “Madras Regiment (20th Battalion)”, the DGP said. 

Mallesh then loaded the arms and ammunition into his car and drove towards Achampet avoiding the main road toll gates and kept them at his house, which the police teams recovered on September 10.

The DGP said the detection of the case has brought lot of relief to everyone because it was assuming the internal security angle and may be something to do with external actors also.

“What was lost and caused concern for 10 days, there were issues involved such as where the weapons reached, whether they reached any foreign countries, whether they got into spy network, and terrorist elements. It is a relief to all that the case was detected, without any threat to internal security. The military officers also thanked. They (army) are preparing full-fledged report on why it happened,” Anand said. 

He said the police have not found any international connection, espionage and any attempt to sell off the weapons to others.

"We have arrested him. We have to verify the links whether he did it alone or anyone was with him. We expected the probe to be over in a few days, we were worried whether it involved any bigger aspects. But, luckily, it indicates that there is no such thing,” the DGP added.