Bengaluru Police have recovered former India hockey captain MM Somaya's stolen 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal, along with seven other international medals taken in a burglary at his home last month. Somaya said getting the medals back felt like winning the Olympic gold all over again.

The medals were stolen from Somaya's home in Bengaluru on 28 October, while he and his family were away in Kodagu, his native district. Police arrested two men on 9 November near Hagalahalli Cross in Ramanagara and have now returned all eight medals and the other stolen valuables to the 67-year-old former captain.

How the medals were stolen and recovered

Somaya and his family left Bengaluru on 25 October for a short holiday in Kodagu. CCTV footage from a neighbour's house later showed two men breaking open the front door of the house in HAL 3rd Stage, New Thippasandra, at about 2.34am on 28 October. The burglary came to light hours later, when a neighbour noticed the front door open and alerted Somaya, who rushed back and filed a complaint at the Indiranagar police station the same day.

The Indiranagar police formed eight special teams to investigate the case. Acting on intelligence, officers arrested Manikya, also known as Manikanta, aged 31, and Bharat, also known as Darli, aged 25, near Hagalahalli Cross on 9 November, along with the two-wheeler allegedly used in the crime. The two men were produced before a court on 10 November and remanded to eight days of police custody.

During questioning, the accused told police that the Olympic gold medal and an Asian Games silver medal had been sold to a gold company in Rajajinagar. Officers recovered those two medals from the firm on 10 November, and found the remaining six medals, along with other stolen articles, at a house near H. Cross in Hoskote. Police are also looking for a further suspect in the case.

Eight medals spanning a glittering career

The recovered haul covers much of Somaya's decade at the top of Indian hockey. Alongside the 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal, it includes a silver medal from the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, a bronze medal from the 1986 Asian Games in Seoul, a bronze medal from the 1982 Champions Trophy in Amsterdam and a gold medal from the Loiano tournament in Italy.

Police also recovered the other valuables taken in the burglary, worth about Rs 3.5 lakh, including a 10-gram gold bangle, an eight-gram gold coin, two silver cups, six silver spoons, an 80-gram silver pot and Rs 30,000 in cash. A traditional Kodava dagger, a camera and an Olympic kit bag were also found.

Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh handed the medals back to Somaya and described the recovery as a privilege, calling it one of the most challenging cases his force had handled because officers initially had almost no clues. He announced a cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for the police team that cracked the case.

“I feel I have won the Olympic medal once again”

Somaya, a three-time Olympian who captained India at the 1988 Seoul Games, thanked the police and said the medals carried memories that money could not replace. He played in an era when hockey was an amateur sport, he said, with no monetary awards for major wins, so the medals were honours for himself, his state and his country.

“I am extremely grateful to the Bangalore Police, who have worked really hard over the last few days,” Somaya said. “I feel I have won the Olympic medal once again. I am really happy with how police handled this case and cracked it within a short period.”

Somaya was a member of the Indian team that won gold at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, played at two further Olympic Games in 1984 and 1988, and captained the side in Seoul. His contribution to Indian hockey has been recognised with the Arjuna Award.

Frequently asked questions

Which medals were stolen from MM Somaya? Eight international medals were recovered, including his 1980 Moscow Olympics gold, a 1982 Asian Games silver, a 1986 Asian Games bronze and a 1982 Champions Trophy bronze.

Who was arrested for the theft? Two men, Manikya, 31, and Bharat, 25, were arrested on 9 November near Hagalahalli Cross in Ramanagara and remanded to eight days of police custody on 10 November.

Sources: ANI via Daily Prabhat and CNN-News18.