Shimla, Nov 26 : An octogenarian widow's hopes to get back her husband's posthumously-awarded bravery medal, stolen from her house seven years ago, have risen after news that it had landed up in an auction house in Britain.

The state police has asked the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to take up the matter with Interpol in order to recover the stolen medal.

Naik Kirpa Ram of the 8th Battalion, 13th Frontier Force Rifles, Indian Army was awarded the George Cross medal posthumously in 1946. The decoration, which ranks next to the Victoria Cross, was received by his widow, Brahmi Devi, from the Viceroy of India, Field Marshal Lord Wavell. At that time, she was just 13 years old.

However, the medal was stolen from her house in Papral village in Bilaspur district in 2002.

"The landing of the medal in an auction house in London has generated hopes that it would soon return to us. But the government should take the initiative to get it back. It was awarded in recognition of extraordinary courage," Brahmi Devi, 80, said, with tears rolling out of her eyes.

Brahmi Devi had reported the theft of the medal Feb 3, 2002. However, the police had closed the case after a few years as the medal could not be traced.

The medal has been listed for auction Dec 2 by Dix Noonan Webb Limited, Britain's leading auctioneers of coins and medals. The base price indicated for the medal is
20,000 to 25,000 pounds sterling.

Shakti Singh Chandel, a former Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer who is pursuing the matter, told IANS that the central government should direct the Indian High Commission in London to take up the case with the concerned authorities there so that the medal auction is stopped.

"For this, even the help of the Interpol could be sought," he said.

The Himachal Pradesh police have urged the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to make efforts with Interpol to recover the bravery medal from the auction house.

"We have approached the CBI to take up the issue regarding the recovery of the stolen medal with Interpol," Additional Director General of Police (CID) I. D. Bhandari said.(IANS)