Five Rifles, Seven Pistols Missing from Secunderabad Army Weapons Store

A major security alert has been triggered after several weapons and a substantial quantity of ammunition were reported missing from an Army armoury in the Secunderabad Cantonment.

According to the complaint lodged with the police, the missing items include five assault rifles, seven pistols, 21 magazines, ammunition and a night-vision binocular. The Army has initiated an internal inquiry, while the police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the theft.

The complaint was filed by a Lieutenant Colonel of the 20th Battalion, Madras Regiment, following the discovery of the alleged theft at the unit’s weapons storage facility.

The incident reportedly came to light at around 7.50 am on August 31, 2026, when personnel went to open the ‘Kote and Battalion Magazine’, the unit’s designated weapons storage area. They found that the locks had been broken, prompting an immediate inspection of the armoury and its inventory.

According to the complaint, all the weapons were accounted for when the facility was last checked at around 6 pm on August 30. Investigators are now trying to establish when and how the theft took place during the intervening period.

Given the sensitive nature of the missing weapons, the Army and police have moved quickly to prevent any possible misuse or illegal movement of the arms and ammunition. The storage area has been sealed, senior military officials have been informed, and a detailed verification of the armoury records is underway.

Authorities are examining weapon inventory records, issue and receipt registers, while personnel who had authorised access to the storage facility are also being identified and questioned.

The Army unit has said it will extend full cooperation to the police investigation and provide all relevant records required to trace the missing weapons and determine those responsible for the security breach.