Hyderabad: Seven people, including three serving army personnel, were arrested on Saturday in connection with the theft of weapons and ammunition from a military facility in Bollarum, according to Malkajgiri Police Commissioner B Sumathi.

The main suspect, Upputhalla Mallesh, 37, a former Havildar hailing from Nagarkurnool district in Telangana, was previously taken into custody on September 11 for stealing AK-203 assault rifles and live ammunition from the 'Kote and Battalion Magazine' during the intervening night of August 30 and 31.

All stolen armaments, which had been hidden at the residence of Mallesh's father in Achampet, Nagarkurnool, were recovered completely intact.

Following further inquiries, police arrested seven additional suspects on Saturday—comprising three serving military personnel, two individuals from West Bengal, as well as a cousin and a friend of Mallesh.

"As per the investigation, Mallesh committed the offence with the help of other accused with an intention to commit huge property offences and no terrorist or extremist connections were noticed," Sumathi informed reporters.

Mallesh, who previously served with the 20th Battalion of the Madras Regiment, was prematurely retired from service in June this year on grounds of indiscipline and poor health.

He was initially produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody before police secured his custody on September 22 for interrogation.

Investigators established that Mallesh, who had past involvement in residential burglaries, devised a plot alongside his cousin and a friend—both facing financial strain—to carry out armed robberies targeting banks, jewellery shops, and wealthy individuals.

"Mallesh contacted three persons (army personnel) of the regiment, and with their support, he broke open the locks of Kote and Magazine and committed theft of arms and ammunition," the Commissioner stated.

Under questioning, Mallesh confessed that in 2022, whilst his battalion was stationed at Barrackpore in Kolkata, he acquired a country-made firearm and a live round from two West Bengal residents.

The two men admitted that Mallesh later contacted them to ask if they would purchase stolen army weaponry and ammunition, an offer to which they agreed, police added.

The Indian Army did not immediately issue an official statement regarding the arrests.

PTI