Hyderabad: Seven more people, including three serving personnel of the Madras Regiment and two alleged arms dealers from West Bengal, have been arrested in connection with the theft of firearms and ammunition from the Army’s 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, at Bolarum.
The theft came to light on August 31 after the locks of the Kote and Magazine Room were found broken. Police subsequently found that four AK-203 rifles with five magazines, one INSAS rifle with three magazines, six 9 mm pistols with 12 magazines, a 6.35-bore civilian pistol, three binoculars and large quantities of ammunition were missing.
The prime suspect, Upputholla Mallesh alias Raju, 37, a retired Havildar of the 20 Battalion, was arrested on September 11.
Malkajgiri Commissioner B Sumathi said police investigations during Mallesh’s custody allegedly revealed that he had planned the theft with Konduri Sheshulu, Vinod Kumar and Kucharakanti Praveen, who were associated with the Madras Regiment.
Police alleged that Mallesh, along with his cousin Upputholla Mallikarjun and friend Chemmakar Niranjan, planned to use the stolen firearms for robberies targeting banks, jewellery shops and wealthy individuals.
Investigators further alleged that Mallesh contacted Avi Dey alias Obi and Birbal Shaw of West Bengal, who agreed to purchase the stolen weapons. According to police, Obi allegedly offered Rs 3 lakh for each pistol and Rs 5 lakh for each long weapon, apart from payment for ammunition.
Police said the weapons were allegedly stolen after Mallesh, with the assistance of Sheshulu, Vinod Kumar and Praveen, broke open the locks of the storage facilities.
Investigators also recovered a country-made firearm and a live round allegedly purchased by Mallesh in 2022 for Rs 10,000 through Shaw from Obi while Mallesh was posted at Barrackpore.
The seven newly arrested accused — Sheshulu, Vinod Kumar, Praveen, Obi, Shaw, Mallikarjun and Niranjan — are being produced before a court for judicial remand.
Police said their investigation so far has not found any terrorist or extremist links and that the alleged motive was to use the firearms for property-related offences.
