Police said the thieves broke into his locked cabinets and stole the whole medal collection. Police also said the thieves did not realize the historical value of the items. The thieves sold one gold medal to a local gold‑buying shop.

Police formed eight investigative teams to find the stolen medals. Police arrested two suspects and later recovered the medals after tracking the thieves. The medals represent personal and national history, including the 1980 Olympic gold, the last men’s field‑hockey title for India.

Somaya had said he planned to store the medals in a secure bank safe‑deposit box but kept them in locked cabinets instead. The case reminds us that proper security and fast law‑enforcement response are essential for protecting valuable personal memorabilia.