Reconnected: 1,500 stolen phones returned under Op Vishwas 2.0

New Delhi: Over 1,500 mobile phones were traced under Mission Reconnect and Vishwas of Delhi Police, with most returned to their original owners. The devices were stolen from south and southeast Delhi, as well as from metro trains, railway stations and IGI Airport.Within two months, teams from the south and southeast district police traced over 1,000 phones. According to police, the Central Equipment Identity Register portal — designed to block, trace and recover lost or stolen mobile phones using their IMEI numbers — played a key role. Every police station had a dedicated team continuously monitoring the portal. "As soon as a SIM card was inserted into a stolen phone, the team concerned received an alert and immediately sent a raiding party," police said.Most of the people from whom the phones were recovered unknowingly bought them after they were stolen. The accused allegedly sold the phones at lower prices, claiming they urgently needed money.The recovered phones were handed over to their owners at the NCUI auditorium in Hauz Khas under Operation Vishwas 2.0 by special CP Madhup Tewari. Police also felicitated good samaritans and shared cyber safety tips with people, especially senior citizens."Operation Vishwas 2.0 is not merely a recovery drive; it is a reaffirmation of our promise to every citizen. When we return a lost phone, we return peace of mind. When we spread cyber awareness, we prevent future loss," Tewari said. "In the digital age, awareness is power, vigilance is protection, and partnership is our greatest strength." Among the beneficiaries, Punit had lost his phone in Feb 2025 at Nehru Place while travelling by bus. It had crucial documents. Shakuntala Devi's phone was stolen from a tailor shop in Mehrauli in Dec. Her son Vivek said it had important documents and family photographs, raising concerns about misuse. Joint CP (southern range) SK Jain said timely reporting of suspicious activities, prompt sharing of credible information, adherence to cyber hygiene and participation in awareness initiatives significantly strengthened the security grid. Some devices were also returned through the respective police stations. Meanwhile, 580 phones were traced over the past three-four months and handed over by the metro, railway and airport units. Joint CP (transport) Milind Dumbere said the coordinated efforts of these units led to the recovery of these phones, including 266 by the metro unit, 188 by the railway unit and 126 by the IGI Airport unit, collectively valued at over Rs 1.3 crore. Stolen devices were also traced to several states across north and east India, including Haryana, Punjab, West Bengal, Rajasthan, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttarakhand. Investigators found that many of the stolen phones were quickly moved out of Delhi to evade detection and complicate tracking.