HYDERABAD: The police on Friday arrested a 37-year-old former Army havildar for allegedly stealing ammunition from the military armoury at the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, in Bollaram last month.
The accused, Upputholla Mallesh, a resident of Jangam Reddy Pally in Amrabad, Nagar Kurnool district, had joined the Army in 2010 and worked for 16 years before being removed from service on June 30 following issues of indiscipline and health concerns.
DGP CV Anand said Mallesh had conducted a recce of the armoury on August 28 and 29, observing its security arrangements, lighting and CCTV cameras.
On August 30, he reached the armoury around 11 pm, broke two locks and stole arms and ammunition. One of the locks took him nearly an hour to break. “It took a little longer to break that lock. It took about an hour for him,” Anand said.
A guard came to the armoury while Mallesh was breaking the locks but left as he could not see anyone in the dark.
Mallesh later loaded the ammunition onto his bike, left it near a temple about two kilometres away and returned to the armoury to collect magazine covers. He then returned home at 4.34 am, transferred the consignment to his Brezza car and drove towards Achampet.
To avoid CCTV footage at toll gates, he used the ORR Sagar Ring Road, Bonguluru Gate Road and Srisailam Road. He also picked up passengers en route and dropped them off after collecting fares, apparently to create an explanation for his movements if questioned.
He reached Achampet at 1.15 pm on August 31 and hid the ammunition under hay in front of his house. On September 6, he shifted the consignment to Padara village but brought it back to the original location on September 8.
Police had suspected Mallesh after he concealed details about his movements in the military area on August 28 and 29 and placed him under surveillance. Police officials later asked him to come to Hyderabad several times, but he did not comply.
He eventually confessed to his wife that he had stolen the ammunition. His wife and father-in-law took him to a nearby police station, following which Task Force and Malkajgiri police brought him to Hyderabad and arrested him.
Anand said the preliminary investigation suggested Mallesh may have been disgruntled over his early removal from service.
“Prima facie finds that as he was removed from the service he might have stolen the ammunition. But he did not steal to sell them. However, the motive was not established yet,” Anand said.
The accused was being produced before a court.
