Former Indian hockey captain M.M. Somaya has suffered a devastating personal loss after burglars allegedly stole his treasured 1980 Moscow Olympics gold medal during a break-in at his Bengaluru residence
Former Indian hockey icon MM Somaya’s residence in the New Thippasandra area in Bengaluru was robbed, with burglars looting his prized gold medal he had won at the 1980 Olympics in Moscow.
The burglars also looted gold and silver items, including bangles, gold coins, silver cups and spoons and โน30,000 cash, with the total value of stolen property estimated to be โน3.53 lakh.
Somaya’s gold medal, other valuables looted
According to The Hindu, Somaya said that he and his family had travelled to Kodagu on October 25, and two unidentified burglars allegedly broke into their locked home in the early hours of October 28. The neighbours noticed the front door was open and alerted him.
He added that CCTV footage showed two men forcing their way into the house and looting his prized possessions.
Somaya further confirmed that the burglars stole India’s last Olympic gold medal in hockey, calling it an undisputed symbol of dedication and sacrifice to the nation.
“One of the medals stolen is India’s last Olympic Gold Medal in men’s hockey and, therefore, has immense significance not only for me personally, but also for the nation and the history of Indian sport. For me, it is an irreplaceable symbol of years of dedication, sacrifice and service to the country, the former Indian hockey captain said.
More from Hockey NewsPolice file case
The Indiranagar police have registered a case under sections 331(4) and 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are monitoring CCTV to identify and nab the accused and recover the valuable items. Vikram Amte, DCP (East Division) of the Bengaluru City Police, confirmed that two special teams have been formed to track the accused.
Somaya has also knocked Karnataka CM DK Shivakumar’s door by writing a letter, seeking his intervention in the matter and appealing for a time-bound investigation into his Olympic gold medal.
Somaya is widely regarded as one of the key figures of the 1980s hockey era and was part of the Indian team that won Olympic gold in hockey. It was the nation’s last Olympic hockey gold medal.
Apart from the 1980 Olympic gold, Somaya’s major honours include the 1982 Asian Games silver, the 1986 Asiad bronze and the 1982 Champions Trophy bronze. He made four Olympic appearances in 1980, 1984 and 1988 and captained the Indian hockey team at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.