Army Finds 160 Electric Detonators Near Bollaram Firing Range in Hyderabad

Army personnel discovered 160 commercial electric detonators abandoned behind a wall near the firing range in the Bollaram military zone on Wednesday afternoon. The discovery occurred amid an ongoing investigation into the recent theft of a dozen sophisticated firearms and ammunition from the Madras Regiment armoury. Following an alert from the Army, the Bollarum police seized the explosives and registered a suo motu case under the Explosive Substances Act.

According to the police, the seized items are 33A-size commercial electrical detonators, which are primarily used for controlled blasting operations at construction and mining sites. Each of the detonators costs approximately Rs 500. They were discovered near Golf Enclave, an adjoining residential venture situated close to the perimeter of the military facility.

Sub-inspector K Bhadya Naik of the Bollarum police, who was deployed in the Army area alongside his staff as part of the arms theft investigation, said he was first alerted to the explosives on Wednesday afternoon by a subedar belonging to the 20 Madras Regiment. The subedar reported that Army personnel had spotted the detonators packed inside a green plastic bucket during a search operation conducted along the rear wall of the camp’s firing range.

Upon receiving the information, the sub-inspector and a police constable rushed directly to the spot to inspect the container. The police officer stated in his complaint that they uncovered eight bundles containing a total of 160 electrical detonators resting inside the bucket, appearing to have been abandoned there by unidentified individuals.

Authorities immediately alerted the Bomb Disposal team of Malkajgiri to secure the area. The disposal squad, accompanied by a sniffer dog, arrived at the location to inspect the material and confirmed that the items were 33A-size commercial electrical detonators. Police have taken custody of the explosives as investigations continue into how they reached the perimeter of the military zone.