Bengaluru, Nov 11 (IANS) 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.

The burglary came to light after Somaya and his family left for Kodagu on October 28. A neighbour informed them about a break-in at their residence, following which they rushed back to Bengaluru and filed a complaint at the Indiranagar police station on the same day.

On reviewing CCTV footage from a neighbouring property, police spotted two men breaking open the door and entering Somaya’s residence at around 2.34 a.m. on October 28. One of the accused was seen wearing a blue shirt, while the other was dressed in a red shirt.

Thanking the Bengaluru Police, Somaya said their hard work and reassurance throughout the investigation had given him immense relief.

“I am extremely grateful to the Bengaluru Police, headed by Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, who have worked really hard over the last few days. They have recovered not only the medals but also valuables stolen from my residence,” he said.

Somaya specially thanked DCP East Vikram Amathe, the ACP of Halasuru, and Inspector Balakrishna for their efforts in cracking the case.

“From the first day, they reassured us that the medals would be recovered because they are an honour not only for me personally but also for the state and the country. The Indiranagar Police have done a magnificent job. I feel I have won the Olympic medal once again,” he said.

Recalling the importance of the medals, Somaya said they represented years of hard work and carried immense memories and sentimental value.

“In those days, there were no monetary benefits as it was an amateur sport. Winning a medal itself was an honour for me, the state and the country. These medals carry a lot of memories and sentiments, which makes them very special to me. I am happy they are back with me,” he said.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said it was a privilege to hand over the stolen medals to the hockey legend.

“The case was reported at the Indiranagar police station, and we are happy that our entire team could detect the case. Two people have been arrested, and all the stolen medals and valuables have been recovered,” he said.

The Police Commissioner said the lack of clues had made the investigation one of the most challenging cases for the team.

He added that the accused were habitual offenders and that the police would take measures to ensure they did not continue indulging in criminal activities.

–IANS

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