Major General to Head Army Court of Inquiry Into 20 Madras Regiment Armoury Theft in Secunderabad

The Indian Army’s Southern Command has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the theft of weapons and ammunition from the 20 Madras Regiment at Bolarum in Secunderabad Cantonment, after a retired havildar allegedly entered the unit’s armoury and magazine and removed military-grade firearms and ammunition on the night of 30–31 August. A Major General-rank officer from the division based in Pune will head the panel, which will examine how the breach occurred and what procedural and security lapses made it possible.

The internal inquiry has been ordered by Headquarters, Southern Command, Pune, while the criminal investigation is being handled by Telangana Police. The Army panel will look beyond the theft itself to assess access control, sentry arrangements, night surveillance, storage procedures and the handling of grievances within the unit. It is also expected to suggest corrective measures for static cantonment locations.

The accused has been identified by police as Upputholla Mallesh, also known as U. Mallesh, a 37-year-old retired havildar of the same battalion. He joined the Army in 2010, served for 16 years and was discharged on 30 June 2026 on grounds of ill health and indiscipline. A native of Jangamreddipalle in Amrabad mandal of Nagarkurnool district, he had been living near the regiment area.

According to investigators, Mallesh used his familiarity with the unit’s layout and routine to plan the break-in. Police say he surveyed the premises on 28 and 29 August, identified CCTV blind spots and gaps in night surveillance, and returned on a two-wheeler around 11 p.m. on 30 August. He is alleged to have gained entry by identifying himself as belonging to the regiment, forced open the locks of the Kote, or arms store, and the battalion magazine, and taken weapons and ammunition from rooms that were several dozen metres apart.

The theft came to light at about 7.50 a.m. on 31 August, when personnel opened the stores and found the locks broken. The weapons had last been physically accounted for on the evening of 30 August. A complaint was lodged by Lieutenant Colonel Mayank Govitirkar of 20 Madras at Bolarum police station. Some reports have also said that a substantial part of the battalion, including its commanding officer, was away at Pokhran for field firing when the theft took place.

Police say the stolen cache has since been recovered in full. At a briefing, Telangana Director General of Police C.V. Anand detailed the haul as four AK-203 assault rifles with associated magazines, one 5.56 mm INSAS 1B1 rifle with magazines, six 9 mm Auto 1A pistols with magazines, one civilian 6.35-bore pistol, a passive night-vision binocular, and more than 1,900 rounds of ammunition, including 1,156 rounds of 9 mm ammunition and 720 rounds for the AK-203 rifles.

In all, the recovered items amounted to 12 firearms, 21 magazines and related equipment. Police have said the haul was hidden after the theft and later found from more than one location, including an open area in Nagarkurnool district.

Investigators have described the suspected motive as resentment over early retirement and a grudge against seniors, including, in one account, the commanding officer. DGP Anand has said that, so far, the police have not established any link to terrorism, espionage or organised crime, though that angle has not been formally ruled out. The Army and police have also indicated that the possible involvement of other personnel remains under examination.

Early findings cited by Army sources point to a combination of physical-security and procedural weaknesses. The Kote has been described as being in an unsuitable location despite the battalion being stationed at a static cantonment site. A road through the area is open to civilian vehicles without adequate checks, which made unauthorised entry easier. CCTV coverage at the armoury was inadequate, with earlier reports also saying cameras were switched off at night. Inventory records were reportedly poorly maintained in the lead-up to the theft, and guards on duty did not detect the break-in despite the two stores being forced open.

A team from Southern Command Military Intelligence worked with Telangana Police, including State Intelligence, the Hyderabad City Task Force and the Malkajgiri Special Operations Team, and is expected to share its findings with the Court of Inquiry. The National Investigation Agency had also examined the case at an earlier stage.

The Court of Inquiry is an internal Army process and is distinct from the civilian criminal case, which has already led to an arrest and recovery of the weapons. The panel will examine how locks, keys, sentry routines, night surveillance, access control and grievance handling failed, and whether dissatisfaction among serving or recently retired personnel was noticed and addressed in time. Army sources have specifically underlined the responsibility of the adjutant and the unit Subedar Major in dealing with such grievances.

The inquiry will also look at whether security arrangements at static cantonment locations need to be tightened, particularly in relation to CCTV coverage, vehicle checks and the siting of armouries. No timeline has been announced for the completion of the probe, and the Major General leading it has not been named publicly.

The criminal case continues in the civilian courts under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions invoked at Bolarum police station, while the Army’s inquiry will run in parallel and remain confined to service procedure, command responsibility and institutional safeguards.