Pune: In a significant step toward resolving complaints of lost phones, the Pune Police have successfully traced and returned 456 mobile phones to their rightful owners. This operation, based on complaints registered on the CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) portal, has brought immense joy to citizens and garnered widespread appreciation for the police’s efficiency and dedication.

Pune Police have introduced a dedicated ‘Lost and Found’ portal, enabling citizens to register complaints about lost or misplaced phones. After filing the complaint, citizens receive an online “Property Missing” certificate. Using this certificate and their Aadhaar card, individuals must register their details on the CEIR central portal. Through this system, the IMEI number of the mobile phone is analyzed to locate the currently active SIM card, with police assistance facilitating the entire process.

To streamline the recovery of lost mobiles, six special teams comprising officers from the Crime Branch, Cyber Police Station, and Computer Division were formed. Last month, these teams reviewed 2,300 complaints using technical analysis, out of which 456 mobiles were successfully traced. The police have confirmed that efforts to locate phones traced outside Pune city are ongoing.

On February 14, a special event was held at Hirakani Hall in the Police Headquarters, where Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar personally handed over the recovered mobile phones to their owners. Citizens expressed their gratitude and praised the relentless efforts of the Pune Police.

This operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Amitesh Kumar, Joint Commissioner Ranjankumar Sharma, Additional Commissioner Shailesh Balakwade, Deputy Commissioners Nikhil Pingale and Vivek Masal, and Assistant Commissioner Machhindra Khade. Key contributions were made by the team from the Cyber Police Station, led by Senior Police Inspector Swapnali Shinde.

The recovery teams were as follows:

Team 1: Rahul Shinde, Kiran Jamdade, Sandeep Kolge
Team 2: Pramod Tilekar, Vishal Ithape, Manoj Sangle
Team 3: Chetan Chavan, Nitin Jagdale
Team 4: Rajendra Punekar, Latu Suryavanshi, Sameer Pinane
Team 5: Ishwar Andhale, Sunayana More, Lokeshwari Chutke
Team 6: Kiran Gaikwad, Sachin Shinde, Kalyani Kolekar
Other notable officers who contributed were Sushma Tarange, Dinesh Markad, Amar Bansode, and Adnan Shaikh.

The initiative has strengthened public trust in the Pune Police, with citizens commending their commitment and service. This successful operation highlights the department’s unwavering dedication to community welfare and safety.