Bolarum arms theft accused claims eight others aided theft

Former Army havaldar Upputholla Mallesh, accused of stealing 12 firearms and over 1,800 rounds of ammunition from the 20 Battalion, Madras Regiment premises at Bolarum, has named seven others who assisted him in the theft. During police questioning, Mallesh identified the alleged accomplices before being sent back to judicial remand at Chanchalguda Central Prison after his 10-day custody period ended on Thursday. Senior police officers are now verifying the identities, individual roles, and other details of these seven persons before proceeding further with the investigation.

Investigators determined that the theft was driven by Mallesh's grudge against his former superiors and an intention to illegally sell the stolen firearms and ammunition for money. Police also discovered that Mallesh was allegedly in possession of an illegally purchased .99 mm pistol. His past involvement in house-breaking and theft cases, predating his 2010 Army recruitment by approximately five years, has come under scrutiny, with investigators suspecting these cases registered in rural areas may have been concealed during his military service enrollment.

Police reconstructed Mallesh's movements on the night of the theft and recovered data from his mobile phone, including deleted call details through call detail records. His contacts and communications are being examined to verify the involvement of the seven named accomplices. Further verification of information is underway as police prepare to disclose additional details about the others allegedly involved in the theft.