A large quantity of weapons and ammunition has reportedly been stolen from an armoury of the Indian Army’s Madras Regiment at Secunderabad Cantonment, raising serious questions over security arrangements at one of the army’s heavily guarded facilities, the 24NewsHD TV channel reported on Sunday.
According to a report by the BBC, rifles, pistols, magazines and thousands of rounds of ammunition were found missing from the armoury. The report said locks on the armoury, battalion magazine, stores and internal boxes were broken before the weapons were taken.
The stolen weapons reportedly include four AK-203 rifles, six 9mm pistols and one .32-calibre pistol. The thieves also took five AK-203 magazines, three 1B1 magazines, 12 magazines for 9mm pistols and one magazine for the .32-calibre pistol.
The missing ammunition includes 720 rounds for AK-203 rifles and 1,120 rounds for 9mm pistols. Military officials reportedly estimated the total value of the stolen weapons and ammunition at about 1.5 million Indian rupees.
Despite the incident, neither the army nor the police had issued a detailed official statement at the time of the report, according to the information provided.
The Madras Regiment is among the oldest regiments in the Indian Army. The reported theft, despite round-the-clock security at military facilities, has raised questions about the effectiveness of existing security measures.
Defence observers also pointed to previous allegations involving theft, financial irregularities, bribery and forged documents within Indian defence institutions. They cited a 2021 case in which India’s Central Bureau of Investigation named 17 military personnel in connection with alleged bribery and irregularities in army recruitment.
They also referred to the Adarsh Housing Society scandal, in which influential individuals, including military officers, were alleged to have benefited from valuable land intended for war widows.
In August 2026, allegations concerning procurement irregularities involving Lieutenant Colonel D Maji and purchases worth 30 million Indian rupees were also reported, according to the information provided.
Defence observers said the latest incident should be investigated thoroughly, including the possibility of internal assistance in the theft. They also warned that weapons bearing military markings could potentially be misused in future attacks or other criminal activities.
Reporter: Ahmad Mansoor