Pune News: 137 Stolen And Missing Mobile Phones Worth ₹40 Lakh Returned To Citizens By Wakad Police

Pimpri-Chinchwad, May 30, 2025: In a commendable effort, the Wakad Police Station under the Pimpri-Chinchwad Police Commissionerate successfully traced and returned 137 stolen or missing mobile phones valued at approximately ₹40 lakh to their rightful owners. These phones, belonging to various brands, were recovered not just from different districts in Maharashtra but also from states such as Bihar, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Madhya Pradesh.

Acting under directives from Commissioner of Police Vinay Kumar Choubey, Joint Commissioner Dr. Shashikant Mahavarkar, and Additional Commissioner Sarang Awad, a special drive was launched across the Pimpri-Chinchwad region. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 1) Vishal Gaikwad and Assistant Commissioner of Police (Wakad Division) Sunil Kurade supervised the initiative.

Senior Police Inspector Nivrutti Kolhatkar led the Wakad police team with officers Shahaji Dhyagude and Priya Pawar forming a dedicated task force. Using the CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) portal, they tracked the location of the missing mobile phones. The phones were found across various states and in many cases, retrieved with the cooperation of those in possession, either through voluntary return, courier, or by invoking legal authority where necessary.

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This initiative underscores the growing dependency on mobile phones in daily life and the emotional and functional distress caused by their loss. Citizens, grateful to receive their phones back — many of which contained sensitive personal data — expressed appreciation for the police department’s diligent efforts.

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Notably, in December 2014, Wakad police had previously returned mobile phones worth ₹10 lakh. Over the past six months alone, 247 phones worth nearly ₹60 lakh have been restored to their owners. The drive is ongoing.

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