Four AK-203 rifles, an INSAS rifle, six pistols and nearly 1,900 rounds of ammunition were allegedly stolen from an Army armoury in Telangana in a conspiracy to acquire weapons for planned robberies, police have claimed.
Malkajgiri police said they have arrested eight people, including serving and former Army personnel, in connection with the theft from the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, at Bolarum. The stolen weapons and ammunition have been recovered, they said.
Malkajgiri police said they have arrested eight people, including serving and former Army personnel, in connection with the theft from the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment, at Bolarum. The theft came to light on August 31 when Army personnel found the locks of the Kote and Magazine broken. Police said the stolen cache included four AK-203 rifles, one INSAS rifle, six 9mm pistols, one civil pistol, three binoculars and nearly 1,900 rounds of ammunition. The investigation took a major turn on September 11 when police arrested Upputholla Mallesh alias Raju and recovered the stolen weapons and ammunition concealed at his father’s house in Sainagar Colony, Achampet, in Nagarkurnool district of Telangana. Avi Dey alias Obi, 32, a resident of Barrackpore, Kolkata, has been described by police as an alleged illegal firearms supplier. He had a previous Arms Act case registered at Khardah Police Station in 2012 under Section 25(1)(B)(a). All eight accused have been arrested, with 7 being produced before the court for judicial remand.
The stolen weapons and ammunition have been recovered, they said.
The case is pending before the Second Judicial Magistrate Court in Barrackpore.
