Bengaluru police arrest two, recover Olympic gold medal and other sporting honours stolen from M.M. Somaya’s house
Bengaluru police have arrested two persons and recovered eight international sporting medals, including the 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal, stolen from the residence of former Indian hockey player M.M. Somaya. One more accused is absconding.
Bengaluru: Bengaluru police have arrested two persons and recovered eight international sporting medals, including the Olympic gold medal won by former Indian hockey player and Kodagu native Maneyapanda Muthanna Somaya at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, which were stolen during a burglary at his residence.
The theft took place on October 28 at Somaya’s house in HAL 3rd Stage, when the 67-year-old former Olympian and his family were away in Kodagu. According to the FIR, unidentified burglars broke into the house and decamped with valuables worth approximately ₹3.5 lakh.
The burglary came to light around 7.15 a.m. when a neighbour, noticed that the front door of the house had been left open. He alerted Somaya, following which CCTV footage from a neighbouring residence was examined.
According to a police press release issued on Wednesday (November 11), Somaya lodged a complaint at the Indiranagar police station on October 28. The police formed eight special teams under the supervision of senior officers to investigate the case.
Following investigations, two accused were apprehended near Hagalalli Cross in Ramanagara on November 9. During interrogation, they allegedly confessed to committing the burglary along with another associate, who is currently absconding.
The police subsequently recovered the stolen articles based on information provided by the accused. While one gold medal and one silver medal had allegedly been sold to a gold trading company in Rajajinagar, six other medals were recovered from the residence of one of the accused near H.Cross in Hoskote.
Apart from the eight sporting medals, the police also seized a Peeche Kathi(Kodava ceremonial sword), a camera, an Olympic bag and the two-wheeler allegedly used to commit the crime.
The police said efforts were under way to trace the absconding accused. The operation was carried out by teams from Indiranagar and other police stations under the East Division.
