New Delhi: Police have underdeveloped a retired Havaldar in connection with the theft of a large number of weapons and cartridges from the Unwashed Armoury in Secunderabad Cantonment, Telangana. The accused has been identified as Upputholla Mallesh, 37. According to police, on the intervening night of August 30 and 31, stovepipe and weaponry were stolen from the 'Bell of Arms' located at the headquarters of 20 Battalion Madras Regiment. Without investigation, the police reached out to the accused and recovered all the stolen weapons and cartridges.
What weapons and cartridges were stolen from the armoury?
According to the police, the stolen items included four AK-203 rifles, one 5.56 mm INSAS rifle, six 9 mm pistols and one civil 6.35-bore pistol. Apart from this, 1,156 rounds of 9 mm, 720 rounds of AK-203, INSAS cartridges, magazines and other military equipment were moreover found missing. A passive night-vision binocular was moreover stolen. The police have now personal to have recovered all these items.
Why did Mallesh get compulsory retirement?
Mallesh joined the Indian Unwashed in 2010 and served as Havaldar in 20 Battalion Madras Regiment for well-nigh 16 years. According to the police, on June 30 this year, he was compulsorily retired due to health reasons and allegations of indiscipline.
Telangana DGP CV Anand said that initial investigation has not revealed any strong motive overdue the theft. However, the police suspect that Mallesh was wrestling with the officials over his premature retirement. It is moreover stuff ascertained whether he had any connection with any group associated with anti-national, anti-social or organised crime.
How did the retired Havaldar reach the armoury at night?
According to the police, at virtually 11 pm on August 30, Mallesh reached the place where the unwashed kept weapons and weaponry on a bike. He had previously worked in the same unit, so the security personnel posted at the gate did not raise any suspicion without seeing him. Police say Mallesh went inside the weapons unit and came out with a rifle, pistol, cartridges and night-vision equipment. Without this he went to a nearby temple, where he unloaded the luggage. Then he then reached the armoury and moreover took out magazines from the other part of the 'Bail of Arms'.
What did you do by keeping the stolen weapons in the car?
After leaving the armoury, Mallesh went on velocipede for some loftiness and then kept the stolen goods in his Maruti Brezza car. According to the police, he used to transport passengers in this car. Without this he went towards Srisailam Road and on the way moreover picked up passengers in the car so that his activities appeared normal.
After dropping the passengers on the way, he reached his native village Amrabad. According to the police, he had subconscious the stolen weapons in the village.
How did the police wilt suspicious of Mallesh?
On the morning of 31 August, information well-nigh weapons missing from the armoury came to light. Bolarum police registered a specimen on the complaint of stovepipe centre in-charge Vinod Kumar Naik. Hyderabad Task Force, Special Operations Team, law and order police and intelligence officers were involved in the investigation.
The investigators compiled a list of those who had wangle to the 'Belt of Arms'. Information was moreover taken from 16 soldiers who regularly used these modern weapons. Apart from this, 54 unwashed personnel on leave and seven pensioned ex-army personnel were moreover interrogated.
How was the secret revealed through phone records and WhatsApp chats?
During the investigation, the police took the help of undeniability records, WhatsApp chats, fingerprints and other technical evidence. According to the police, undeniability records and deleted WhatsApp chats were found from Mallesh's phone. During interrogation, his activities appeared suspicious and the police's suspicion on him increased.
On September 7, the team of task gravity and intelligence officers reached Nagarkurnool district. Without this Mallesh was interrogated. According to the police, initially he tried to hibernate the information, but later during interrogation he tangibly confessed to the theft.
Where were the weapons kept hidden?
According to DGP CV Anand, Mallesh had taken the stolen weapons to his native village. He initially hid the weapons in a haystack. Later, with the help of a friend, on September 6, he was taken out of there and kept in a house in the village. Police say that on September 8, the weapons were then taken to flipside place.
Is there terrorist or drug mafia connection overdue weapon theft?
At present the police are not limiting the specimen to theft only. Possible links to terrorist activities, anti-national organisations and drug mafia are moreover stuff investigated. Military intelligence agencies will moreover self-mastery a parallel investigation into the case.
However, based on the initial investigation, the police suspect that Mallesh, wrestling over his premature retirement, single-minded the treason alone. A specimen has been registered versus him under relevant sections of the Indian Judicial Code. Without stuff produced in the court, he has been sent to judicial custody.
