New Delhi, August 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
The Department of Telecommunications’ (DoT) Sanchar Saathi initiative helped recover 77,692 lost or stolen mobile handsets in July, crossing the 75,000 mark in monthly recoveries for the first time since the platform was launched, the Communications Ministry said on Friday.
Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya M. Scindia welcomed the milestone, attributing the increase to growing public confidence in the platform and closer coordination among the DoT, telecom service providers and police departments across states and Union Territories.
The ministry said the DoT’s Digital Intelligence Unit and its field units worked with local police to trace the devices and facilitate their return to their owners. Monthly handset recoveries increased by 201 per cent between April 2025 and July 2026.
Under the enhanced system, citizens receive details of the police station concerned in traceability reports through SMS, email, the Sanchar Saathi portal and its mobile application.
The system also provides police authorities with details of SIM cards inserted into reported lost or stolen handsets, including alternate mobile numbers, to assist recovery efforts.
Sanchar Saathi allows citizens to report lost or stolen mobile phones through its web portal or mobile application. Once a handset is reported, it is blocked from use on Indian telecom networks, helping prevent its misuse.
If an attempt is subsequently made to use the blocked device, the network captures the activity and generates alerts for both the citizen and the police station concerned, enabling authorities to trace and recover the handset.
The ministry said citizens are advised through SMS to factory-reset recovered handsets to protect against any suspected malware.
The DoT said it continues to incorporate feedback from stakeholders to further strengthen the ecosystem and improve handset recovery rates.
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