7 hrs ago
Ex-Army Officer Held After Secunderabad Armoury Weapons Theft
Police in Telangana detained a retired Army officer over weapons stolen from an Army armoury.
The armoury belonged to the Madras Regiment in Secunderabad.
Police said they recovered four AK-203 rifles, six pistols and one INSAS rifle.
They also recovered missing ammunition.
The Army had earlier said about 1,800 rounds and 21 magazines were missing.
Soldiers checked their records and questioned people who could enter the storage area.
The Army also asked police to investigate because the weapons might be misused or moved elsewhere.
The suspect was being questioned, and the police chief was expected to explain more at a press conference.
Telangana Police detained a recently retired ex-Army officer described as the prime suspect in the Secunderabad armoury theft.
Police recovered four AK-203 assault rifles, six 9 mm pistols, an INSAS rifle and missing ammunition.
The Army had reported about 1,800 missing ammunition rounds and 21 magazines, including nearly 700 AK-203 rounds.
The suspect allegedly knew the military camp’s layout and was being questioned about the wider chain of events and possible conspiracy.
An FIR was registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions concerning trespass and theft from specially protected places.
- Who
- Telangana Police detained a recently retired ex-Army officer identified as the prime suspect; the Army’s Madras Regiment reported the loss.
- What
- Weapons and ammunition were stolen from an Army armoury, and police later recovered the weapons and missing ammunition.
- Where
- The armoury was at the Indian Army’s Madras Regiment in Secunderabad, within the Bolarum cantonment region.
- When
- The theft was reported as occurring last month; the suspect was detained before a press conference scheduled for later that afternoon.
- Why
- Police and the Army are investigating the theft and the possibility of unauthorized possession, misuse or movement of service weapons and ammunition.
Key facts
- Suspect
- A recently retired ex-Army officer described by police as the prime suspect
- Recovered weapons
- Four AK-203 assault rifles, six 9 mm pistols and one INSAS rifle
- Previously reported missing
- About 1,800 ammunition rounds and 21 magazines
- AK-203 ammunition
- Nearly 700 of the missing rounds were for AK-203 rifles
- Army unit
- Madras Regiment
- Police case
- FIR registered under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 331(4) and 305
- Investigation status
- The suspect was being questioned about the wider chain of events and possible conspiracy
Quotes
Lieutenant colonel-ranked Army officer
Madras Regiment officer whose complaint sought a police investigation into the missing weapons and ammunition
“In view of the nature of the missing articles, particularly the service weapons and ammunition, there is a possibility of their unauthorised possession, misuse or movement. As such, they requested that the matter may kindly be investigated by the Police and an FIR be registered under the applicable provisions relating to theft/misappropriation, unauthorised possession of arms/ammunition and other offences as may be established during investigation.”
theprint.in
Sources
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