Bengal: Medals stolen from swimmer Bula Chowdhury’s Hooghly house recovered; 1 held

Ex-national swimming champion had said that she lost more than 150 medals, including 120 gold medals, won both at various national and international championships during her lifetime

Kolkata: Police recovered 295 medals, including gold medals, stolen from the residence of former national swimming champion Bula Chowdhury in West Bengal’s Hooghly district, and arrested a person from the Rishra area on Sunday.

Police recovered 295 medals, including gold medals and a replica of the Padma Shri medal, stolen from the residence. (PTI)

The recovery was made a day after the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) was given charge of the investigation. “Chowdhury had told us more than 150 medals and the Padma Shri medallion were stolen from her home in the Hindmotor area. We have recovered 295 medals. We believe 99% of the stolen items have been found. Chowdhury has to identify these,” deputy commissioner of police of Serampore Arnab Biswas said.

“Joint efforts by the CID, the detective department of the district police, and the local police station led to the recovery and Krisha Chowdhury was arrested from the Rishra area,” Biswas added, refusing to share the suspect’s identity.

“I am extremely happy that police acted so promptly. The original Padma Shri award I received from President APJ Abdul Kalam is at my Kolkata home. But I cannot find the small replica.I am looking for it,” Bula Chowdhury said after the medals for recovered.

“I lost more than 150 medals, including 120 gold medals, which I won both at various national and international championships during my lifetime. The list includes 10 gold medals I won at the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games,” Chowdhury said. The South Asian Games were previously known as the SAF Games.

“The Arjuna Award and the Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Sports Award, which were also kept in the house, are still there. They were not stolen,” she said.