Kayamkulam: On this year’s Sreekrishna Jayanthi, Kayamkulam native Biju David received an unexpected summons from the court-to reclaim the gold ornaments his family had lost on another Sreekrishna Jayanthi day almost 22 years ago. The gold weighing 23 gms now costs well over ₹2.3 lakh. For Biju, it's not about the cost, though. The gold ornaments were received as gifts for his daughter, Anju Elizabeth David, who was then just five months old.

In the early morning hours of August 3, 2003, a thief stole bangles, anklets and a waist chain from Biju’s five-month-old daughter. Biju noticed the theft and tried to grab his hands, but the man escaped despite his attempt to chase him down. He lodged a complaint at the Kayamkulam police station, but no immediate progress was made.

Months later, Ambalapuzha police arrested a man involved in several offences. During questioning, he confessed to multiple thefts, including the Kayamkulam case. “The police officer informed me that they had caught the thief, Pakki Subair, a known history-sheeter. He also said Subair committed the crime while returning from central jail,” Biju, a senior clerk at CMS College, Kottayam, recalled. Subair revealed that he had already sold the ornaments. Police traced the buyer, recovered the gold, and submitted it to the Kayamkulam Court.

For years, Biju assumed the ornaments were gone forever. Three years ago, he enquired about the case and learned that Subair’s status remained 'long pending' with the accused even attempting to escape custody several times. Two months ago, Biju and his wife Anumol were summoned to court to give their statements.

After decades of uncertainty, the summons brought new hope. “This is a prime example of trusting the system. I am happy that we finally recovered the gold,” Biju said. Anju is now 22 and a third-year BSc Nursing student at Apollo College of Nursing, Chittoor. When she learnt about the recovery of gold, she rang up Biju and said she would like to treasure them.