If these names are not confusing enough, the complexity of British regimental naming, numbering and amalgamations is over the top!
In entries I found that Capt. Kalu Thapa went to Shillong (NE INDIA/ASSAM)
in 1867 with 44th (Sylhet) Regiment of Bengal Infanty.
Apparently much later the 44th regiment became 1st Battalion of 8th Gurkha Rifles (1903)
It would seem that since he was never with the 8th, he held to the 44th, and the GR (Gurkha Rifles) was already long standing as the term for the regiment despite official designations.
By the turn of the century, Gurkhas were being recruited into military police, the Assam divisions here of course. One reference noted that Thapa is buried at Shillong.
While these are sundry notations found searching online, I believe there may be a solution :
perhaps as earlier noted, Kalu Thapa after retirement did serve in some capacity with the military police, and this could have been a personal weapon. Possibly recalling 44th and Gurkha Rifles standing as his personal identifier?
To me this sounds reasonably plausible, but I aint a paleontologist
