BENGALURU, Nov. 5 -- Burglars stole former India hockey captain MM Somaya's gold medal from India's 1980 Moscow Olympics triumph and several other valuables after they broke into his Bengaluru house early on October 28 while he and his family were away in their native place in Kodagu. The burglars, who broke into his residence in the city's HAL 3rd Stage locality around 2.30 am, also made away with three other international sporting medals, gold jewellery, silverware and Rs.30,000 in cash. The total value of the stolen property has been estimated at Rs.3.53 lakh, according to a police complaint. The theft came to light in the morning when a neighbour noticed that the front door was open and alerted Somaya. CCTV footage from a neighbouring house showed two unidentified men forcing their way through the front door. The burglars also took his silver medal from the 1982 Asian Games in New Delhi, and bronze medals from 1986 Seoul Asian Games and 1982 Champions Trophy in Amsterdam. The other stolen items included a 10-gram gold bangle, an eight-gram gold coin, two silver cups weighing 144 grams, six silver spoons, an 80-gram silver pot, besides the cash. "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," Somaya said. Somaya has written to Karnataka chief minister DK Shivakumar seeking his intervention to ensure a thorough investigation and quick recovery of the stolen items. "An Olympic gold medal represents far more than an individual sporting achievement; it is an honour earned for the nation on the world's highest sporting stage," he said, expressing hope that the chief minister's intervention would lead to every possible effort being made to recover it. Somaya, 67, represented India at three Olympic Games, Moscow in 1980, Los Angeles in 1984 and Seoul in 1988. He captained India at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. He received the Arjuna Award in 1985. The Indiranagar police have registered a case under Sections 331(4) and 305 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, which deal with trespassing or breaking into a house and theft. Two special teams have been formed to identify the suspects and recover the stolen property, said Vikram Amte, Deputy Commissioner of Police, East Division....