Bollarum armoury theft: probe widens, Army officers under scanner
HYDERABAD: Investigators probing the theft of firearms from the Madras Regiment armoury in Bollarum have widened their probe to senior Army personnel responsible for security at the facility.
Questioning guards for more than a week has failed to yield a breakthrough. Investigators have now turned their attention to officers supervising the security arrangements, including the unit commander, a Major-rank officer, as reported by TOI.
Major-rank officer questioned
Police sources said investigators have questioned the Major who commands the Army unit guarding the armoury.
The armoury has two guards on rotational duty. One guards the KOTE (Keeper of Technical Equipment), where firearms are stored. The other guards the battalion magazine, which stores ammunition.
A Havildar-rank non-commissioned officer supervises the guards, while a Major commands the security team.
The Major was stationed at the Madras Regiment in Bollarum when a Lieutenant Colonel-rank officer reported the burglary to police on August 31.
The Madras Regiment, Military Intelligence, State Intelligence and Malkajgiri police are jointly investigating the case. Investigators have so far questioned 10 to 15 Army personnel linked to security duties at the armoury.
A senior police officer said the questioning had not produced any breakthrough despite more than a week of investigation.
“Burglary of this nature is not possible without someone from the unit knowing about it,” the officer said.
CCTV, inventory lapses under scanner
Investigators have also identified several security lapses at the armoury.
These include an alleged practice of switching off CCTV cameras at night and discrepancies in inventory records.
Investigators also found an empty INSAS rifle magazine during an inspection shortly after registering the FIR.
Army personnel told investigators that the magazine did not belong to the stolen ammunition. However, they could not identify the person to whom the magazine had been issued.
Police also found gaps in the armoury records.
A Malkajgiri police officer said investigators were questioning supervisory officers to establish how the lapses occurred and why senior personnel failed to detect them.
