The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) on Tuesday said that more than 50,000 lost and stolen mobile phones were recovered across the country in October through its digital safety platform Sanchar Saathi. It is the first time that monthly recoveries have crossed the 50,000 mark. The cumulative recovery nationwide has now crossed 7 lakh.
According to DoT, Karnataka and Telangana have recorded the highest number of recoveries, each exceeding one lakh mobile phones. Maharashtra follows with more than 80,000 recoveries. The department said monthly recoveries have increased by 47 per cent between June and October 2025, with more than one handset now being traced every minute.
The ministry attributed the success to Sanchar Saathi’s indigenously developed platform, which integrates automated workflows and real-time device traceability. When a SIM is inserted into a device reported as lost or stolen, alerts are triggered to both the registered citizen and the concerned police station, enabling faster action.
DoT said the achievement reflects strong collaboration between state and Union Territory police forces, the Digital Intelligence Unit (DIU) and field formations. Capacity-building programmes and partnerships with police agencies have strengthened the recovery process on the ground.
The department has urged citizens to download the Sanchar Saathi mobile application to report and block lost or stolen devices, verify the authenticity of new or old phones before purchase, and report suspected fraudulent calls or messages. Users can also verify trusted contact details of banks and financial institutions through the app.