Medals, antique cameras stolen from house of national table tennis player

Medals, antique cameras and other valuables have been stolen from the residence of a national table tennis player in Padmanabhanagar.

The victim is B N Nagaraj, 74, a national table tennis player-turned-artist. He has built an art gallery on the third-floor terrace of his house. The theft happened around 10.15 pm on May 9 and came to light the next morning.

Nagaraj and his family were in the house when the burglar made away with the valuables.

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According to Nagaraj, the thief stole five medals, including gold, silver and bronze, that he had won in various national table tennis championships, 12 antique cameras, three wristwatches and five brass bells kept in the art gallery. Since the gallery door was not locked, the thief found it easier to sneak in.

Police estimate that the stolen wristwatches were worth over Rs 1 lakh.

CCTV footage shows the burglar in his early 20s climbing an under-construction adjacent building and getting into Nagaraj's building by using a wooden log used in construction.

"We have taken up a case under IPC Section 380 (theft in dwelling house) and are making efforts to nab the miscreant," a police officer said.

Nagaraj is a veteran table tennis player. He still participates in games at the national level and has even played abroad. The medals stolen include those he won at veteran tournaments.

The antique cameras were brought by his parents. A few cameras are 100 years old and were used before independence, a senior police officer said.

The thief left behind the tools used in the burglary such as a gas cutter and an iron bar. Fingerprint and forensic experts visited the house and collected evidence.

Nagaraj told police that he can buy other valuables but not the medals that he earned through hard work.