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Shimla police best in Himachal for recovery of missing and stolen phones, set to be honoured

The Shimla police successfully traced 770 mobile phones out of 1,262 requests from January to November 5, with 212 phones recovered.

3 min readUpdated: Nov 5, 2025 04:33 PM IST

212 out of 770 traced cell phones were recovered from Himachal Pradesh and several distant states. (Credit: Pexels)

The Shimla police achieved a recovery ratio of 27.5 per cent for lost and stolen phones, making it the best-performing unit in Himachal Pradesh for 2025 in terms of mobile phone recovery, according to the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) of the Department of Telecommunication (DoT).

Sandeep Arya, Deputy Director General, DoT, conveyed this to the district police in Shimla Wednesday. The Shimla police will be honoured for their performance during a day-long workshop of the Annual Zonal Security Council in the Solan district Thursday.

Representatives from state police and Central agencies in Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Uttarakhand, and Uttar Pradesh will attend the workshop.

According to the CEIR, the Shimla district police traced 770 mobile phones out of a total of 1,262 blocking requests received between January 1 and November 5. However, only 27.5 per cent (212) of these traced phones have been recovered so far.

Meanwhile, in terms of overall performance, Himachal Pradesh has a 33.21 per cent recovery ratio in 2025. The state police have so far blocked 19,412 mobile phones, out of which 13,824 have been traced and 5,588 have been recovered.

The Shimla police have 22 police stations, including a cyber cell and a women’s police Station.

The Jhakhari police station recorded one of the highest recovery rates at 59.5 per cent, followed by the Kupvi station, which recorded 54.5 per cent. Chirgaon and New Shimla police stations recorded 50.8 per cent and 50 per cent recovery rates, respectively.

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The Sadar Shimla police station reported the highest number of blocking requests (257), with 142 mobiles traced and a 27.5 per cent recovery rate.

A police officer said, “When a missing, stolen and robbed phone was found being operated along with its location, it was considered to be traced, and the phone was recovered from the suspects or found anywhere, it was considered recovered.”

Sources said that 212 out of 770 traced cell phones were recovered from Himachal Pradesh and several distant states, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, and neighbouring states such as Punjab, Haryana, and the Union Territory of Chandigarh. The recovered phones had been used in various crimes, including sextortion, making extortion calls, and other cybercrimes. There are still 558 unrecovered cell phones under surveillance, and efforts are ongoing to trace them.

Sanjeev Gandhi, Superintendent of Police (SP), Shimla, said, “Mobiles and digital apps are nowadays not only a medium of conversation or communication. However, this has become more of a tool for business or commerce. Nowadays, all identity and KYC-related platforms are run on mobile devices. Shimla police have attained proficiency in professional abilities to solve cases of murder, kidnapping, and narcotics trafficking, as well as in tracing the missing children.”

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“We will enhance our capabilities by adding more capacity building and techno upgrades in the skills of our cyber cell wing of Shimla. The exercises to trace and recover any gadget require lots of patience, knowledge, and expertise in the field of understanding the value of digital footprints as well.”

Saurabh Parashar

Saurabh Parashar is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, primarily responsible for the publication’s coverage of Himachal Pradesh. He is a seasoned journalist with over 17 years of experience in print media, specializing in crime, legal affairs, and investigative reporting. Professional Background Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Mass Communication from Guru Jambheshwar University of Science & Technology (Hisar) and a Law degree from Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla. This legal background significantly informs his reporting on complex judicial and administrative matters. Career Path: Before joining The Indian Express in 2017, he spent 12 years with The Times of India. Core Beats: His primary focus is the socio-political landscape of the hill state, with a specific emphasis on the environment, forest conservation, drug menace (specifically "Chitta"), affairs related to tribal and archaeology and the unique challenges of governance in high-altitude regions. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His recent reporting highlights the critical intersection of policy, law, and social safety in Himachal Pradesh: 1. "Himachal’s battle against Chitta: Why the border areas are most vulnerable" (Late 2025): An investigative look at the transit routes from Punjab and the impact on local youth. 2. "Shimla ropeway clears key hurdle as 820 trees face the axe :According to the Forest Survey of India’s 2021 assessment, 47.21 percent of Shimla’s 5,131 sq km geographical area is under forest cover (Nov 17, 2025). 3. "Himachal to handover 2.7427 ha of non-forest land for Shimla Ropeway: Given the land’s non-forest nature, RTDC and the state will not require permission from MoEFCC" (Nov 18, 2025) 4. "How the centuries-old Jodidara tradition is fading in Himachal’s Trans-Giri region: Jodidara: a form of fraternal polyandry—has long been part of Hatti tribal culture in the Trans-Giri region of Himachal Pradesh and adjoining Uttarakhand. It is believed to have evolved to prevent division of ancestral land and maintain unity among brothers in the harsh, mountainous terrain" (Aug 18, 2025) Legal & Agricultural Affairs "Kisan Sabha hails SC’s setting aside Himachal HC order to remove orchards from forest land" (Dec 18, 2025): Covering a major Supreme Court victory for farmers, where a High Court order to remove fruit-bearing apple orchards was overturned. "Himachal Cabinet nod to new tourism policy; focus on home-stays in tribal areas" (Dec 11, 2025): Detailing the legislative push to decentralize tourism and bring economic benefits to Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur. 3. Governance & Environment "Forest rights and development: Why Himachal is seeking more leeway from Centre" (Dec 19, 2025): Reporting on the legal hurdles faced by the state in infrastructure projects due to the Forest Conservation Act. "Cloudbursts and resilience: How Himachal’s remote villages are building back better" (Nov 2025): Following up on the long-term rehabilitation efforts after monsoon-related disasters. Crime especially cyber crimes, crypto currency etc: crypto currency: "Agents in uniform, motivational speeches, lavish parties: How a Himachal crypto con went unnoticed:A serial conman, a ‘Nelson Mandela Nobel Peace Award winner', and retired policemen got together to pull off a Rs 1,740-crore fraud" (Nov 10, 2023) Signature Beats Saurabh is recognized for his tenacious reporting on the state's drug epidemic. His deep familiarity with the topography and tribal culture of Himachal allows him to report from remote locations like Spiti, Pangi, Shillai, which are often overlooked by national media. His legal expertise makes him a primary choice for covering the Himachal Pradesh High Court on issues ranging from local body elections to environmental PILs. X (Twitter): @saurabh_prashar . ... Read More

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