HYDERABAD | September 4, 2026: A total of 160 electric detonators were recovered from a private venture near the firing range of the 20 Madras Regiment in Bollaram, Secunderabad Cantonment, during searches being conducted in connection with the recent theft of weapons and ammunition from the Army area.
The detonators were found inside an abandoned light-green plastic bucket near the rear wall of the firing range. They were arranged in eight bundles of 20 detonators each. An Army Subedar reportedly alerted Bollaram police after the material was discovered during a search of the surrounding area.
A bomb disposal team and sniffer dog squad were immediately called to the location. The team identified the material as 33A-size commercial electric detonators, commonly associated with controlled blasting in construction and mining. Police subsequently seized the detonators and secured them for safe disposal.
The discovery initially raised concerns because it came shortly after the theft of firearms and ammunition from the Madras Regiment premises. However, police have clarified that the detonators were not found inside Army property. They were recovered from Golf Enclave, a private venture adjoining the military area, and authorities currently see no established connection between the detonators and the weapons theft.
Malkajgiri DCP C.H. Sridhar said the private land was reportedly used for development work in the past and that investigators are examining whether the detonators had been left behind by contractors or developers. A separate case has been registered under the Explosive Substances Act to determine their source and why they were abandoned at the location.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the Madras Regiment armoury theft continues. Police and defence agencies are examining CCTV footage and questioning personnel who were on duty around the time of the incident. Authorities are also rechecking weapon and ammunition records and conducting searches around the military premises.
The Army theft investigation remains separate from the detonator case, with officials yet to establish who stole the missing weapons and ammunition or exactly when the theft occurred.