Nagpur: In a significant breakthrough against mobile theft and loss cases, Sadar Police Station recovered and returned 65 mobile phones collectively valued at ₹11.50 lakh to their rightful owners during a distribution programme held on February 18, 2026.

According to police officials, the recovered handsets belonged to various brands and were reported stolen or missing between 2025 and February 2026. The recovery was made possible through sustained technical investigation, local intelligence inputs, and the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) tracking system.

The operation was carried out under the guidance of Police Commissioner Ravinder Singal and Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 2) Nityanand Jha. The recovered mobile phones were formally handed over to their original owners by Assistant Commissioner of Police (Sadar Division) Suhas Jagtap and Senior Police Inspector Amol Deshmukh during the event.

Police Sub-Inspector Nilesh Ghoghare, who headed the investigation team, along with Mobile Missing Nodal Officer Ankit Thakre and other team members, played a key role in tracing the devices. Officials stated that several of the recovered phones were linked to older pending cases, while others were traced over the past two months through systematic tracking on the CEIR portal.

Police have appealed to citizens to immediately report stolen or lost mobile phones at the nearest police station and register complaints on the CEIR portal to enable swift recovery.

The initiative has drawn appreciation from residents, who lauded the prompt and technology-driven response of the city police in resolving mobile theft cases.