NewsFree365
--°
India
1 views

Behind Secunderabad arms heist, ex-havildar who held grudge against commanding officer

Suspect first broke open the armoury lock and took out 12 weapons, hiding them in the thick foliage outside. When he tried to enter a second time, a guard asked him about his identity

Behind Secunderabad arms heist, ex-havildar who held grudge against commanding officer
3 min readUpdated: Sep 11, 2026 06:29 PM IST
According to the police, the suspect first broke open the armoury lock and took out 12 weapons, hiding them in the thick foliage outside.According to the police, the suspect first broke open the armoury lock and took out 12 weapons, hiding them in the thick foliage outside. (Image: DGP Telanagana Police/X/Express Photo)
An ex-havildar of the has been arrested for last month’s arms heist at 20 Madras Regiment at Bolarum in Secunderabad Cantonment, the police have said – a development that comes hours after investigators claimed to have traced the weapons to a location in Hyderabad.

At a press conference on Friday, Director General of Police C V Anand said that the ex-havildar, who the police have not yet named, broke open the locks of the armoury at 20 Madras Regiment at Bolarum in Cantonment and stole 12 weapons and ammunition, including four AK-203 assault rifles, seven pistols and an INSAS rifle.

Anand said that the suspect had been dismissed from service on June 30, and that the heist was an act of revenge against his commanding officer.

© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd

Sreenivas Janyala is a Deputy Associate Editor at The Indian Express, where he serves as one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political and economic landscape of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. With a career spanning over two decades in mainstream journalism, he provides deep-dive analysis and frontline reporting on the intricate dynamics of South Indian governance.

Expertise and Experience

Regional Specialization: Based in Hyderabad, Sreenivas has spent more than 20 years documenting the evolution of the Telugu-speaking states. His reporting was foundational during the historic Telangana statehood movement and continues to track the post-bifurcation development of both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Key Coverage Beats: His extensive portfolio covers a vast spectrum of critical issues:

High-Stakes Politics: Comprehensive tracking of regional powerhouses (BRS, TDP, YSRCP, and Congress), electoral shifts, and the political careers of figures like K. Chandrashekar Rao, Chandrababu Naidu, and Jagan Mohan Reddy.

Internal Security & Conflict: Authoritative reporting on Left-Wing Extremism (LWE), the decline of the Maoist movement in former hotbeds, and intelligence-led investigations into regional security modules.

Governance & Infrastructure: Detailed analysis of massive irrigation projects (like Kaleshwaram and Polavaram), capital city developments (Amaravati), and the implementation of state welfare schemes.

Crisis & Health Reporting: Led the publication's ground-level coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic in South India and major industrial incidents, such as the Vizag gas leak.

Analytical Depth: Beyond daily news, Sreenivas is known for his "Explained" pieces that demystify complex regional disputes, such as river water sharing and judicial allocations between the sister states.

The Indian Express Verified Source

Reported by Sreenivas Janyala · Syndicated via official news feed

Explore all India stories

Syndicated feed content with full publisher credit.

Live Newsroom Broadcast48,500+ Active Readers

Breaking News Sent Directly To Your Phone

Get instant market movers, policy notifications, and verified alerts delivered straight to your WhatsApp and Telegram feeds before algorithms filter them.

Sub-Second Flash Alerts100% Privacy & Zero SpamFree Forever
India Desk

More in India

Continue reading verified coverage and related developments on this desk.

View All