Published on: Sept 01, 2025 12:18 PM IST
Lost your phone in India? A government -backed system can help you to block, trace and recover your equipment. Here is a step-by-step guide to work fast.
Losing mobile phones has become a matter of constant concern across India, in which lakhs of cases have been reported every year. To deal with this, the government introduced a system that allows citizens to block, trace and recover stolen phones. The Mango Sathi portal developed by the Center for Development of Telematics (C-DOT) under the Department of Telecommunications (DOT) plays a central role in this process.
Since its rollout, the platform has blocked more than 33 million smartphones, detected more than 2 million devices, and helped owners to return about 4.5 million phones. This process depends a lot on initial reporting before starting or smuggling the phone. If you lose your device, there is a step-by-step guide to follow it.
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Step-by-step guide to track and recover a lost phone
Step 1: Get a duplicate sim
- You need an active SIM to continue the process and get an alert.
- Go to the nearest telecom outlet.
- Identification proofs such as Aadhaar, Voter ID, or Driving License.
- Request a duplicate sim for your lost number.
- Once activated, put it in another phone.
Step 2: File a police complaint (FIR)
- An official report is required for verification.
- Go to your nearest police station or use the state’s online portal.
- Share details such as IMEI number, brand, model, final location and loss conditions.
- Collect FIR copy or acknowledgment for submission on the portal.
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Step 3: Register on Sankhar Sathi
- visit https://www.ceir.gov.in/,
- Select “Block Stall/Lost Mobile”.
- Provide IMEI number, FIR details, address proofs and an optional mobile number.
- Submit the form and save the request ID for trekking.
Step 4: What happens next
- IMEI of your phone is blocked in all telecommunications networks.
- Police, cyber units and operators receive alerts.
- If the device connects with a SIM, it flags it for system tracing.
Step 5: Recovery Update
- Once active, officers can track the device location.
- Police or cyber crime units contact you.
- After verification, the phone is back.
- Why quick action matters
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The faster you report, the greater the possibility of recovery. CEIR shows the scale of data theft and loss:
- Delhi NCR: 7.9 lakh cases (highest)
- Maharashtra: 4.18 lakh cases
- Karnataka: 3.90 lakh cases
- Laxmip: 11 cases (lowest)
In short, if your phone disappears, act immediately. Secure a duplicate sim, file an FIR, and register on the mentor. Quick reporting improves the possibility of tracing and recovering your device.
