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7 Arrested in Hyderabad Arms Theft, Including 3 Army Personnel
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News18•03-10-2026, 18:00
7 Arrested in Hyderabad Arms Theft, Including 3 Army Personnel
- •Seven individuals, including three serving army personnel, were arrested in connection with the theft of AK-203 assault rifles and ammunition from an army facility in Bollarum, Hyderabad.
- •The prime accused, Upputhalla Mallesh, a former Havildar, was initially arrested on September 11; the stolen weapons were recovered intact from his father's residence.
- •Mallesh, who was prematurely retired due to indiscipline, planned the theft with his cousin and a friend to commit robberies for financial gain, not for terrorist connections.
- •He enlisted the help of three serving army personnel to break into the 'Kote and Battalion Magazine' to steal the arms and ammunition.
- •Mallesh also confessed to purchasing a country-made firearm in 2022 and contacted two individuals from West Bengal to sell the stolen army weapons.
Key Questions Answered
The prime accused is Upputhalla Mallesh, a 37-year-old former Havildar from Nagarkurnool district in Telangana who was previously retired prematurely from service due to indiscipline and poor health.
No terrorist or extremist connections were noticed during the investigation. Police stated that the primary accused committed the offence with an intention to commit major property offences and robberies.
A total of seven individuals were arrested on Saturday, including three serving army personnel, two persons from West Bengal, Mallesh's cousin, and his friend, in addition to the prime accused who was arrested earlier on September 11.
