Satyarthi's Nobel citation recovered from jungles: Police

New Delhi: The Nobel citation of child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi has been recovered from the jungles in Sangam Vihar more than a month after it was stolen from his south Delhi home, police said today.

He thanked the Delhi Police for their "efforts" to recover the citation.

"I am thankful to the Delhi Police for their efforts to recover the Nobel replica and the original citation. The Nobel belongs to every Indian citizen and child.

"Since I am a son of a policeman, I have always understood their sense of responsibility and commitment towards the nation," he said in a statement.

Satyarthi had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. He shared the honour with Pakistan's child rights activist Malala Yousafzai.

The citation, which was stolen along with the Nobel replica and other items on the intervening night of February 6 and 7, was recovered last evening after an intensive search by a 15-member team from the dense forest area in Sangam Vihar, police said.

"It (the citation) was recovered yesterday evening from the dense forest area of DDA Ridge Land opposite G-Block Sangam Vihar, where the accused had dumped it in a bag thinking it as an insignificant item," DCP (Southeast) Romil Baaniya said.

Three persons were arrested on February 12 for allegedly stealing the Nobel replica, the citation and other valuables from Satyarthi's Kalkaji home in southeast. While the Nobel replica and other stolen items were recovered, the citation was not found.

However, it was recovered yesterday evening from the dense forest area of DDA Ridge Land opposite G-Block Sangam Vihar where the accused had dumped it in a bag thinking it as an insignificant item, said Romil Baaniya, DCP (Southeast).

"A 15-member team was formed to find the missing citation. The areas that were frequented by the three accused in the days and leading up to their arrest were plotted on a grid map of Delhi. During the daytime, those areas were searched with the help of dog squad and mounted police," he said.