Bolarum armoury heist: ex-havildar used phone torch to steal weapons
HYDERABAD: Former Army havildar U Mallesh used his mobile phone’s torch to navigate the dark terrain around the Madras Regiment armoury in Bolarum while stealing weapons, police said.
The 37-year-old had kept his phone in airplane mode as a precaution. However, he used its torch to move through the undergrowth and identify specific weapons and ammunition inside the armoury, as reported by TOI.
Lower-rung staff at the Madras Regiment usually switched off the power mains at night. This also cut power to CCTV cameras and other services, police said.
“The area is usually pitch dark at night. Fully aware of this, he carried a mobile phone only to use it as a light source,” an investigation officer told STOI.
Police asked Mallesh during questioning whether he was afraid while committing the theft. He reportedly said he had consumed alcohol, which gave him the courage to steal the weapons, the officer said.
Accused hid in bushes to avoid sentry during 90-minute theft
Two guards remained on sentry duty at any given time. One stayed at a fixed point while the other patrolled the armoury.
Mallesh took nearly one and a half hours to steal the weapons from the ammunition room, police said. He hid in the bushes to avoid the guard while moving around the area.
Police add Arms Act sections before remanding accused
Bolarum police added sections of the Arms Act when they produced Mallesh before a local magistrate. The court remanded him in judicial custody on Friday. Police had initially booked him for theft.
Police said they could have cracked the case earlier if Mallesh had cooperated with the Counter Intelligence Cell.
While checking people who had access to the armoury, including serving and retired personnel, CI sleuths questioned Mallesh in Nagarkurnool. They also verified his phone.
Based on his answers, police did not initially suspect him. They instead asked him to remain available if required.
The Task Force later began suspecting Mallesh’s role. Hyderabad police formed a team with their Nagarkurnool counterparts and placed him under surveillance after finding his movements suspicious.
Mallesh later avoided questioning and stopped visiting Hyderabad. Police then questioned his family members.
He eventually yielded after his family confronted him and reportedly confessed to the theft.
A joint operation by Telangana police and officers from the Southern Command’s liaison unit of Military Intelligence cracked the case in less than two weeks.
After his confession, Mallesh told police how he carried out the theft. He also showed them where he had hidden the stolen weapons near his residence at Jangamreddy Pally in Nagarkurnool district.
