Thieves struck at the southeast Delhi residence of a 1971 War veteran and stole his President’s Medal and other gold and silver trophies, the police said on Saturday.
The matter came to light when Sonal Chaudhri Dhillon, daughter of Colonel (retd) Surajit Singh, lodged a complaint at the New Friends Colony police station stating that some thieves had struck at their 20-A, Friends Colony (West) residence, presumably on December 20 night by breaking open a window and stole the valuables.
“The window was pried open and footprints were visible on the window sill and in the vegetable garden outside. The break-in was reported to me by my staff. I immediately called the beat constable. On reaching the residence, I found a box containing my father Surajit Singh’s Presidents gold medal and other gold medals and silver trophies won in various golf tournaments missing,” Ms Sonal said in her complaint.
Colonel (retd) Surajit Singh, who fought in the 1971 war between India and Pakistan for which he was awarded a Vir Chakra, had won the President’s Medal in 1951 during his initial days of induction into the Indian Army for being an “exceptional cadet”. Being an avid golf player, Mr Singh had won a number of gold and silver trophies which have been stolen.
“There is a possibility that other items may have been taken away by the thieves which have not come to my notice so far,” she said. She also alleged that a number of thefts have occurred in the area.
“Thefts are a constant phenomenon in the colony and so far no case seems to have been solved,” she said. A case has been registered at the New Friends Colony police station and a number of suspects have been questioned in the case but so far no arrests have been made.