The medal recovered by the burglars
Bengaluru: City police Monday arrested two persons in connection with the Oct 28 burglary at hockey legend MM Somaya’s Bengaluru home and recovered his stolen medals, including the 1980 Moscow Olympic gold. Police verified footage from at least 1,000 CCTV cameras, covering around 80 sq km, to zero in on the suspects. The arrested have been identified as Manikya aka Manikanta, 31, a resident of Laggere, and Bharat , 25, from Hosakerehalli in Banashankari 3rd Stage.
They also revealed that the remaining items were kept at the Hoskote home of the third accused.
With these recoveries, all eight missing medals have been traced, said police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh. A senior police officer said the jeweller bought the medals despite knowing those were stolen. “We will take action against him, too,” he added.
The accused were produced in court Tuesday and remanded in police custody for eight days. Both have criminal antecedents. Efforts are under way to trace a third accused who remains absconding. Police also recovered a camera, a Kodagu-style sword and an Olympic bag, and seized the two-wheeler used in the crime. Police conducted searches at the Hoskote house Tuesday and recovered the stolen items, while the two medals sold to the jeweller were also retrieved.