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Ludhiana: Hundreds of such handsets remain active with new SIM: Police register FIR after 3,000 mobile phones go untraced
CEIR data helps in compiling list of lost, stolen and snatched devices as authorities move to track them
Residents may have moved on after losing their mobile phones, but the devices haven’t disappeared — at least not from the digital map. More than 3,000 phones reported lost, stolen or snatched this year remain untraced, prompting the Khanna cyber crime police to file an FIR to finally bring the sprawling issue onto official record.
Investigators suspect many of these handsets have travelled through the hands of burglars, snatchers and even unsuspecting buyers.
Some are still active, but with new SIM cards — a detail flagged by the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR), which helped police compile a detailed list of numbers, IMEIs and brands.
Superintendent of police (SP, detective) Pawanjit Chaudhary said while several stolen phones recovered from criminals have been returned to rightful owners, thousands slipped through the cracks because no FIRs were filed.
“Most users simply reported their loss on CEIR, obtained a duplicate SIM card, and bought a new handset — unintentionally closing their own case before it began,” he said.
“This gap allowed others who found or purchased these phones to keep or resell them freely. We have lodged an FIR so the devices are officially on record and can be traced before they are misused,”the SP added.
The case has now been registered under Sections 303(2) (theft) and 314 (dishonest misappropriation of property) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against unidentified persons, opening what could be Khanna’s largest digital trail hunt yet.
How to report a lost mobile
To report a lost mobile phone on the CEIR portal, a police complaint is required. It could be a missing report or an FIR in case of theft or snatching.
After visiting the Sanchar Saathi portal (ceir.gov.in), click on “block stolen/lost mobile,” and fill out the form with your details, phone number and IMEI number.
After submitting the form and verifying with an OTP sent to the current phone, you will receive a request ID to track the status of the request.
