Four international hockey medals, including a gold medal won at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, have been stolen from the residence of former Indian hockey player MM Somaya in Bengaluru, police said.
The burglary took place at the 67-year-old Olympian’s house, which falls under the jurisdiction of Indiranagar police station, while Somaya and his family were away in Kodagu.
According to the First Information Report (FIR), Somaya and his family left their residence at around 5 am on October 25. Three days later, on October 28, at approximately 7.15 am, his neighbour Narayanan noticed that the front door of the house was open. Suspecting a burglary, he immediately alerted Somaya.
CCTV footage obtained from a neighbouring house reportedly showed two unidentified persons entering the residence at around 2.34 am on October 28. One of the suspects was wearing a blue shirt, while the other was dressed in red.
The suspects allegedly broke open the front door before entering the house and escaping with the valuables, including the four international hockey medals.
Police have formed two special teams to identify and trace the suspects. An investigation is underway.
The theft of the Olympic gold medal is particularly significant, given its association with India’s historic triumph at the 1980 Moscow Olympics, when the Indian men’s hockey team won its eighth Olympic gold medal.
