Army, Telangana Police Question Officer Over Secunderabad Arms Theft
A senior officer of the 20 Madras Regiment is being questioned as the probe into the Secunderabad Cantonment weapons theft widens.
The investigation into the theft of weapons from the Secunderabad Cantonment near Hyderabad has taken a new turn, with senior Army officers questioning a senior officer from a unit of the 20 Madras Regiment. Telangana Police have also questioned the officer as part of the widening probe.
The questioning is linked to allegations that the armoury's registers were not maintained for several months. This has led investigators to consider the possibility that the theft may have occurred before the reported break-in on the night of August 30-31.
The theft came to light on the morning of August 31 when the ammunition storage area was found open with broken locks. A subsequent check revealed that twelve weapons, including four AK-203 assault rifles, seven pistols, and an INSAS rifle, were missing. Over 1,000 rounds of ammunition and a pair of passive night-vision binoculars were also reported stolen.
A senior police officer noted that the Kote is always guarded, and the guards have stated they did not witness a break-in. However, a review of the armoury's records showed they were not properly maintained. Weapons in an armoury are expected to be accounted for each evening, and the last physical verification was conducted at 6 pm on August 30.
The Army has lodged a formal complaint with the Bollaram police station in the Malkajgiri commissionerate. The investigation is currently examining the lapses in record-keeping and the timeline of the theft.