Jammu, Dec 31: In a strong public outreach effort, Jammu and Kashmir Police have recovered and returned 200 lost and stolen smartphones to their rightful owners in Jammu district. The recovered mobile phones are valued at nearly ₹50 lakh.
The handover took place at a function held at District Police Lines (DPL) Jammu, which was presided over by the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Jammu, Joginder Singh. The recovery was carried out under Operation “Re-CONNECT”, an initiative launched by Jammu Police to trace missing mobile devices and reconnect citizens with their property.
According to police officials, the recovery drive was conducted over the past one month by a dedicated technical team comprising personnel from the South Zone, Headquarters Zone, and the Cyber Police Station Jammu. The team traced the missing smartphones using technical surveillance and digital tracking methods. Several of the devices were recovered from different districts of Jammu and Kashmir, while others were located in outside states.
All the recovered smartphones had earlier been reported missing at various police stations across Jammu district.
The devices were returned to their owners after proper verification of identity documents and mobile purchase bills, ensuring lawful ownership. Many recipients said their phones had been missing for months, and in some cases, for years.
The ceremony witnessed emotional moments as citizens were reunited with their phones, which contained personal data, photographs, contacts, and other vital information. Several beneficiaries expressed appreciation for the sustained efforts of the police team and described the recovery as a major relief.
Senior police officers present on the occasion included the Superintendent of Police (Headquarters), SP Operations, SP Rural Jammu, SP South Jammu, DySP DAR Jammu, along with other officers from the district police establishment.
Addressing the gathering, SP Headquarters Jammu urged citizens to take preventive steps to protect their smartphones. He advised the use of strong passwords, regular software updates, activation of remote tracking features, and two-factor authentication to secure personal data and reduce the risk of misuse in case of loss or theft.
Jammu and Kashmir Police reiterated their commitment to citizen-centric policing and encouraged the public to promptly report missing devices to the nearest police station for timely action.
