Archive · 2 Oct 2026
Army Weapons Theft Accused Remanded As Police Probe Possible Accomplices
Police arrested U. Mallesh over weapons allegedly stolen from an Army regiment in Bolarum.
A court sent him to judicial custody on Thursday.
Police questioned him for 10 days but say he did not fully cooperate.
Mallesh says he worked alone.
Investigators think it may have been difficult for one person to steal everything.
They are checking his contacts and associates.
Police also recreated how the theft may have happened at the storage facility.
They studied travel routes connected to the case.
The police are still trying to recover the weapons and find out whether anyone else was involved.
U. Mallesh was sent to judicial custody after being produced before a court on Thursday.
Police may seek his custody again, saying he did not fully cooperate during 10 days of questioning.
Mallesh says he acted alone, while investigators suspect others may have helped steal the weapons and ammunition.
Police reconstructed the crime scene and conducted a passenger trial in Achampet and Nagarkurnool.
The missing items include AK-203 rifles, an INSAS rifle, pistols, night-vision binoculars and ammunition.
- Who
- U. Mallesh was arrested in connection with the alleged theft; police are investigating whether others were involved.
- What
- Service weapons and ammunition were allegedly stolen from the 20 Madras Regiment’s secured storage facility.
- When
- The accused was remanded on Thursday; the loss was discovered on August 31.
- Where
- The alleged theft occurred at the 20 Madras Regiment in Bolarum, Hyderabad; related movements were examined in Achampet and Nagarkurnool.
- Why
- Police are seeking to recover the missing weapons and determine whether Mallesh had accomplices.
Accused’s Account
Investigators’ Theory
Whether others were involved
Accused’s Account
U. Mallesh has maintained that he acted alone and has not disclosed any accomplices.
Investigators’ Theory
Investigators suspect that the theft of several weapons and ammunition from a secured facility may not have been carried out by one person.
Cooperation with police
Accused’s Account
Mallesh has not publicly provided information identifying any alleged accomplices.
Investigators’ Theory
Police say he did not fully cooperate during 10 days of questioning and may seek his custody again.
- Accused
- U. Mallesh
- Military unit
- 20 Madras Regiment
- Location
- Bolarum, Hyderabad
- Court action
- Remanded to judicial custody
- Questioning
- Police questioned Mallesh for 10 days
- Discovery date
- August 31
- Missing items
- AK-203 rifles, an INSAS rifle, 9mm pistols, a civilian pistol, night-vision binoculars and ammunition