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The Bengaluru police have arrested two men and recovered eight stolen international sports medals, including the historic 1980 Moscow Olympics hockey gold medal, belonging to former Indian hockey player M.M. Somaya. The arrests were made by the Indiranagar police following a housebreak at Somaya’s residence while he and his family were away at their ancestral home in Kodagu district. Alongside the medals, officers recovered a traditional Kodava dagger, a camera, an Olympic kit bag, and a two-wheeler allegedly used in the crime.
Breakthrough Near Ramanagara Leads to Arrests
The arrested individuals have been identified as 31-year-old Manikya alias Manikantha and 25-year-old Bharath. Acting on clues gathered from the crime scene and surrounding localities, eight special teams constituted by the Indiranagar police tracked down the two suspects. They were taken into custody on November 9 near Hagalahalli Cross in Ramanagara district. During questioning, the duo admitted to executing the burglary alongside a third associate, who currently remains at large. Both accused were produced before a court on November 10 and remanded in police custody for eight days.
Police records reveal that Manikantha is a habitual offender with 33 criminal cases registered against him, including 25 in Karnataka and eight in Tamil Nadu, with three proclamation proceedings and six non-bailable warrants pending. Bharath faces two criminal cases. Investigators stated that the burglars did not specifically target the medals for their historical or sporting value, as they broke in unaware of the immense significance the collection held for the former Olympian and the nation.
Stolen Medals Traced to Gold Firm and Residential Hideout
The burglary came to light on October 28, when Somaya and his family returned home from Kodagu, where they had travelled on October 25. Upon arrival, they discovered the main door lock broken and found medals, gold and silver valuables, and cash missing. Following their arrest, the suspects confessed to selling two of the stolen medals, one gold and one silver, to a gold-buying establishment located in Rajajinagar.
Officers subsequently raided the commercial firm in Rajajinagar to recover both sold pieces. The remaining six medals, along with other stolen articles, were retrieved from a house in Hoskote linked to one of the accused. The primary prize among the recovered items is the prestigious gold medal won by the Indian hockey team at the 1980 Moscow Olympics. The collection also includes a silver medal from the 1982 Asian Games, a bronze from the 1986 Seoul Asian Games, a bronze from the 1982 Champions Trophy in Amsterdam, and a gold medal from the Loiano tournament in Italy. Additionally, police secured participation medals from the 1984 Los Angeles and 1988 Seoul Olympics, along with a silver commemorative medal marking the 300th birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh.
Somaya Expresses Gratitude as Manhunt Continues
Following the recovery of the items, M.M. Somaya expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the Bengaluru police leadership and the entire investigative team. He noted that the inspector of the Indiranagar police station had reassured him on the very first day that the stolen belongings would be traced. An emotional Somaya remarked that the recovery made him feel as though he had won those precious medals all over again.
Commending the rapid resolution of the high-profile burglary, the City Police Commissioner announced a cash reward of 1 lakh rupees for the police team. Investigators stated that operations are continuing actively to trace the absconding third suspect and recover the remaining stolen property taken from the residence.
