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.All eight missing medals have been found, said police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh. Police Tuesday presented Manikya aka Manikanta, 31, a resident of Laggere, and Bharat, 25, from Hosakerehalli in Banashankari 3rd Stage, in court.They were remanded in police custody for eight days. Both have criminal antecedents.
Hockey legend MM Somaya
The duo told cops they had sold a gold and a silver medal to a jewellery store in Rajajinagar. A police officer said the jeweller bought the medals despite knowing those were stolen. “We will take action against him, too,” he added. Meanwhile, efforts are under way to trace a third accused.Police recovered a camera, a Kodagu-style sword and an Olympic bag, and seized the two-wheeler used in the crime.Police verified footage from at least 1,000 CCTV cameras, covering around 80sqkm, to zero in on the suspects.Manikya and Bharat were picked up near Hagalahalli Cross in Ramanagara. During interrogation, they confessed to the crime and revealed the involvement of one other accomplice.They revealed that the remaining items, besides gold and silver medals, were kept at the Hoskote home of the third accused. Police conducted searches at the Hoskote house Tuesday and recovered the stolen items.“I am extremely grateful to Bengaluru police,” Somaya said.According to the complaint, Somaya, a resident of Binnamangala Manavarthe Kaval (BM Kaval) in New Thippasandra, Bengaluru, had left for his hometown in Kodagu district with his family on Oct 25, 2026.On Oct 28, Somaya’s neighbours found the main door of his home ajar. They later informed Somaya about a likely break-in.On rushing back home, Somaya was shocked to find that his house had been broken into, and several valuables, including his medals, missing.
