Diwali cheer for over 700 people as Ludhiana police return stolen mobiles

Many had lost hope of recovering their devices, with some still paying EMIs for phones stolen or snatched months ago

For 717 people in Ludhiana, this Diwali brought an unexpected gift as the police returned their stolen, snatched and lost mobile phones on Saturday. Many recipients said they had given up hope of ever getting their devices back, while some revealed that they were still paying monthly installments for the phones they had lost.

The occasion was also used to spread awareness about cybercrime and online fraud. (HT)

The recipients were invited to the Police Lines to let them collect their recovered gadgets.

Additional commissioner of police Rupinder Singh said the recoveries were made possible through coordinated efforts by the district police and cybercrime teams. He urged citizens to immediately report the loss or theft of mobile phones at the nearest Saanjh Kendra. Once a complaint is registered, the device can be blocked through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, preventing its misuse and helping the police track it if someone attempts to use it.

He pointed out that mobile phones often contain sensitive personal and financial information, making prompt reporting essential. The occasion was also used to spread awareness about cybercrime and online fraud.

Deputy commissioner of police (investigation) Harpal Singh cautioned people against sharing banking details, passwords or one-time passwords with strangers. He urged victims of online financial fraud to immediately call the national cybercrime helpline 1930.

Describing the initial hours after an online fraud as the “golden period”, he said prompt reporting could significantly improve the chances of freezing fraudulent transactions and recovering the money. The recipients expressed gratitude to the police, describing the initiative as a people-friendly measure that helped strengthen public trust in law enforcement.

Among those who got their phones back was Vivek Mehta, a private schoolteacher, who had lost his expensive handset on July 1 and lodged a complaint at Division number 2 police station. Mehta said he continued paying EMIs for the phone even after losing it. He was relieved to get it back.

Another recipient, Vicky, said his mobile phone had been snatched about a month ago. He had lodged a complaint at Division number 7 police station but had little hope of recovering it. On Friday, he received a call from the police informing him that the phone had been traced and could be collected from the Police Lines on Saturday.

For the recipients, the recovery of their phones turned into a memorable Diwali gift.