Secunderabad armoury theft: 12 weapons stolen, four detained as Army orders inquiry

Theft at Madras Regiment armoury

A major security breach at the Madras Regiment armoury in the Bollarum area of Secunderabad Cantonment has resulted in the theft of 12 sophisticated firearms and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. The theft occurred late Sunday night while the battalion's primary force, including its commanding officer and senior leadership, was away for field firing at the Pokhran firing range in Rajasthan, according to reports in The Economic Times and The Times of India.

The armoury door was found open on Monday morning, with several weapon storage boxes forced open. A complaint filed with police by an officer of the Madras Regiment stated that "in view of the nature of the missing articles, particularly the service weapons and ammunition, there is a possibility of their unauthorised possession, misuse or movement." The complaint noted that the weapons were last physically accounted for on August 30, 2026, at 6 pm.

Stolen inventory and detainments

The stolen inventory includes four AK-203 assault rifles, one INSAS rifle, six 9 mm pistols, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. By Tuesday afternoon, military authorities had detained four individuals, including civilian staff and personnel recruited under the Agniveer scheme, according to senior police officers quoted in The Times of India. The police officers declined to provide further details.

Police officers confirmed that the weapons were smuggled out of the high-security cantonment area, but it was not clear by late Tuesday whether they had been recovered, as reported by The Times of India.

Investigation and security concerns

The Bollaram police have filed an FIR for house break-in, and Telangana Police counter-intelligence units have joined the investigation, as reported by The Economic Times. Investigators suspect significant insider involvement, given standard military protocols, according to The Economic Times. The report notes that armouries are expected to follow strict standard operating procedures with 24/7 armed guards and continuous tracking of every equipment component.

Security guards reportedly routinely turn off the CCTV camera at the entrance at night, according to sources cited in The Economic Times. These claims of routine CCTV deactivation and the presence of few guards on duty were also reported in The Times of India.

A senior Army officer confirmed to The Times of India that "a court of inquiry has been ordered to investigate the matter and find out the exact motive behind this act and the sequence of events." The officer also said that "the records of personnel deployed on duty on the day of the incident and in the last few weeks will also be checked and verified. Their military records and credibility will be closely examined by the inquiry panel."

The Army has sealed all civilian access points to the Bollarum military establishment, as reported by The Economic Times. The unit's second-in-command, a lieutenant colonel, was in charge at the time of the theft, as the main body of the battalion was away.