Gujarat Honours Officers Behind 50.75% Mobile Phone Recovery
Gandhinagar, October 28: Gujarat has recovered 50.75 per cent of lost or stolen mobile phones through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, placing the state second among the country's most populous states. Only Andhra Pradesh has a better record in this category.
State data shows that 2,38,533 mobile handsets have been blocked in Gujarat so far. Of these, 1,47,427 have been traced, while 74,823 have been returned to their real owners.
The recovery rate is significantly above the national average of 37.4 per cent. Gujarat had a 41 per cent recovery rate in October 2025, and its performance has since climbed by 9.75 percentage points over the previous year.
The technology behind the recovery
The CEIR portal, operated by the Department of Telecommunications, lets lost or stolen mobile phones be blocked and traced. This prevents misuse of the devices and simplifies the process for owners seeking to recover them.
Awards for district and police teams
To acknowledge the officers who helped implement the system, the Department of Telecommunications' Gujarat License Service Area and the Gujarat Police jointly held an event on October 27. Nodal officers from the best-performing districts were honoured.
In rankings for the first half of financial year 2026-27, covering April 1 to September 30, Anand district came first, followed by Dang in second place and Ahmedabad City in third.
Individually, Police Inspector Jaymin Dodia of the Cyber Cell in Anand took first place. Police Sub-Inspector J.G. Anadkat of the Local Crime Branch in Dang secured second. Assistant Sub-Inspector Bhavesh Kumar Vishnuprasad and Police Constable Hardiksinh Jayantilal of Ahmedabad City shared third place.
Shields and certificates of appreciation were handed to each of them for their contribution to the portal's rollout and to tracing lost or stolen handsets.
Senior officials attend
Dr. K.L.N. Rao, Director General of Police, CID Crime and Railways, and Girish Katariya, Additional Director General of the Department of Telecommunications Gujarat LSA, were present at the programme.
A joint approach to a common problem
The initiative rests on coordination between the Gujarat Police and the Department of Telecommunications. Its goal is to identify and trace lost devices. Blocking stolen handsets stops their use, and the recovery process helps owners regain their phones.
The state government said the joint effort is improving citizen services, reducing misuse of lost or stolen mobile devices and helping to rein in cyber fraud.