Maradona… Assam police… Dubai… Hublot.
Even the Assam police chief conceded this looked a collection of “random words”.
Except that DGP Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta’s force had hours earlier lent the unlikely assortment perfect sense by arresting a man accused of stealing from the late Diego
Maradona’s house in Dubai a Hublot wristwatch “specially made” for the football legend.
Wazid Hussein, 37, of Sivasagar was picked up on Saturday morning from his in-laws’ place in Moran in neighbouring Charaideo district following a tip-off from Dubai police, Sivasagar superintendent of police Rakesh Roushan said. The watch has been recovered.
Hussein had worked in Dubai since 2016 before returning to Assam last August, Roushan said. Sources said the Dubai police had informed Indian federal agencies that Hussein had been employed at Maradona’s residence.
It’s not clear when the “limited edition” wristwatch was stolen — before or after the football great’s death in November last year — or why the Dubai police suspected Hussein.
Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced the recovery on Twitter: “In an act of international cooperation @assampolice has coordinated with @dubaipoliceHQ through Indian federal LEA (law-enforcing agencies) to recover a heritage @Hublot watch belonging to legendary footballer Late Diego Maradona and arrested one Wazid Hussein. Follow up lawful action is being taken.”
The recovered Hublot watch Twitter: @DGPAssamPolice
Roushan told The Telegraph that Hussein was arrested after a night-long operation on the basis of information received by special director-general of police (law and order) G.P. Singh from central law-enforcing agencies.
Hussein told reporters he worked as a watchman in Dubai. He claimed he had been “given” the watch by a Nigerian friend and fellow watchman.
Hussein, who lives in Dorikaghat on Sivasagar town’s outskirts, said he had returned home because his wife was expecting. He claimed to have no idea how much the watch was worth or who it originally belonged to.
Asked whether Hussein would be handed over to the Dubai police or tried in India, Roushan merely said that everything would be done “as per law”.
“More belongings were stolen. The investigation is still on and future action will be decided as per law,” he said.
He added: “The Hublot watch was specially made for Maradona. It has his signature and jersey number (10). The operation was led by additional superintendent of police (security) Arif Ahmed.”
DGP Mahanta tweeted: “A costly Hublot watch... Maradona... Dubai... Assam Police Looks like random words, don’t they? But today all these words came together nicely, stating a story of successful International Cooperation between #DubaiPolice and @assampolice.” Mahanta said the watch had been in a safe in Maradona’s Dubai house.The arrest created excitement on social media.
A Twitter user wrote: “Found all the way in Assam? The world is indeed a small place. Kudos to all those involved in recovering it. For those unaware, it’s around 19l (Rs 19 lakh) in INR and only 500 pieces of the Diego Maradona collection were manufactured, worldwide.”
