Bengaluru Police Recover Stolen Olympic Gold Medal of Hockey Legend M.M. Somaya

Bengaluru: Bengaluru Police have cracked the burglary case involving the theft of former Indian hockey captain and 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medalist M.M. Somaya's medals and valuables, arresting two accused and recovering all the stolen items.

Expressing gratitude to the police, Somaya said the recovery made him feel as though he had won his Olympic gold medal once again.

The Indiranagar police arrested the accused, identified as Manikya aka Manikanta (31), a labourer and Bharat aka Darli (25), a resident of Banashankari, in connection with the burglary that took place while Somaya had travelled to his native Madikeri in Kodagu for a short holiday.

The burglars had made away with Somaya's gold medal from the 1980 Moscow Olympics, a silver medal won at the 1982 New Delhi Asian Games, a bronze medal from the 1986 Seoul Asian Games and another bronze medal won at the 1982 Amsterdam Champions Trophy.

They had also stolen valuables worth about Rs 3.5 lakh, including a 10-gram gold bangle, an 8-gram gold coin, two silver cups weighing 144 grams, six silver spoons, an 80-gram silver pot and Rs 30,000 in cash.

Police said all the stolen medals, valuables and cash had been recovered. The accused were caught near Hegganahalli cross on November 9. Accused Manikya has 28 cases and six non-bailable warrants in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The second accused, Bharat, is facing murder and theft cases, according to police. The police have launched a hunt for another accused in connection with the case. (IANS)

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