Azamgarh Police: 265 Lost Mobiles Worth ₹61 Lakh Traced and Handed Back to Owners

In a major citizen-centric breakthrough, the Azamgarh Police successfully recovered 265 missing Android smartphones with an estimated cumulative market value of ₹61 lakh (6.1 million rupees). On Saturday, the recovered devices were formally handed back to their rightful owners during an event held at the Reserve Police Lines. The operation brought wide relief and smiles to local residents who had previously lost hope of finding their expensive personal gadgets.

High-Tech Tracing: How the CEIR Portal Helped Police Crack the Cases

The surveillance operation was executed through the Central Equipment Identity Registration (CEIR) system coupled with dedicated cyber cell technical tracing. When citizens reported lost or misplaced devices on the CEIR portal, specialized police surveillance teams tracked the unique IMEI numbers, monitored active telecom towers, and pinpointed device activity. Additional Superintendent of Police (Rural) Chirag Jain explained that prompt online reporting by victims enabled technical units to block illegal usage swiftly and locate the handsets across multiple jurisdictions.

Sustained Cyber Crackdown: Over 6,000 Recovered Mobiles Worth ₹14.37 Crore Since 2024

Azamgarh district has maintained an active tracking campaign targeting lost and stolen mobile phones since February 2024. Through consistent technical surveillance, the district police have traced and recovered 6,035 mobile phones to date, valued at approximately ₹14.37 crore (143.7 million rupees). In the ongoing year of 2026 alone, the recovery tally has reached 2,398 Android smartphones worth roughly ₹6.31 crore (63.1 million rupees), demonstrating the effectiveness of digital policing in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Police Advisory: Prompt Reporting on Sanchar Saathi and CEIR Ensures Faster Recovery

Addressing the beneficiaries at the Police Lines, ASP Rural Chirag Jain urged the public to immediately lodge missing phone reports on the government's official portals whenever a device is lost or misplaced. Rapid registration ensures that the handset is blacklisted instantly across all national telecom service providers, preventing unauthorized misuse in criminal activities and significantly increasing the odds of recovery.