Kalaburagi
The Kalaburagi City Police have successfully recovered and returned 785 lost mobile phones worth approximately ₹1.45 crore to their rightful owners under a special recovery initiative called “Operation Bharavase.”
Police Commissioner Dr. Sharanappa S.D. said the recovery drive was carried out over a two-month period based on complaints registered by citizens through the e-Lost and CEIR (Central Equipment Identity Register) portals. Many of the missing phones were reported lost in crowded public spaces such as bus stands, marketplaces, and transport hubs.
Of the total recovered devices, 688 were traced within Karnataka. Additional recoveries were made from other states including Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Uttar Pradesh, highlighting the interstate nature of mobile theft and loss cases.
Within Karnataka, Kalaburagi city alone accounted for 487 recovered phones, followed by other districts such as Vijayapura, Bidar, Bengaluru, Yadgir, Raichur, Vijayanagara, and Ballari.
Officials said the coordinated use of digital tracking systems and national databases played a key role in tracing the devices. The CEIR portal helped police block and track stolen or lost mobile phones using unique device identifiers.
The Commissioner urged the public to take preventive steps such as using strong passwords, enabling device tracking features like “Find My Device,” and immediately reporting lost phones through official portals. He also cautioned citizens against purchasing mobile phones sold at unusually low prices or without proper documentation, as they may be stolen or illegally sourced.
Police officials present at the event included Deputy Commissioners of Police Shalu and Praveen Nayak, along with Assistant Commissioners of Police and inspectors. The initiative was praised as a model effort in technology-driven policing and citizen service.