In a swift breakthrough, the police have recovered 295 medals belonging to former swimmer and Padma Shri awardee Bula Chowdhury, just 48 hours after a theft was reported at her ancestral residence in Hind Motor, Hooghly district.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Serampore) confirmed the recovery on Sunday, adding that efforts are underway to trace the remaining stolen items. A CID team had been roped in to investigate the case. They collected CCTV footage, fingerprint samples, and detained multiple suspects. Based on key information from one of the detainees, police tracked down the accused and made the arrest.
Chowdhury, renowned for her swimming achievements including six gold medals at the South Asian Federation (SAF) Games, expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the police for their quick action. However, she revealed that some prized memorabilia, including a souvenir linked to her Padma Shri award, are still missing.
Clarifying initial reports, Chowdhury stated that her original Padma Shri medal remains safe at her Kolkata home. She explained that the award comprises two components — a larger citation badge presented by the President and a smaller souvenir or brooch that awardees are entitled to wear at official events. While the badge is secure in Kolkata, the souvenir is yet to be traced.
This was the third theft reported at Chowdhury’s Hind Motor residence, which remains mostly locked and only visited by her periodically. Authorities continue to probe the case to ensure full recovery.