Lucknow – The Government Railway Police (GRP) Lucknow’s surveillance team has recovered over 300 stolen mobile phones, valued at more than ₹45 lakh, from various states across India. These phones, stolen from rail passengers over the past two years, were successfully returned to their owners.
The impressive recovery operation was completed by the GRP Lucknow surveillance cell in just one and a half months. The team tracked down these devices from various states, including Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Rajasthan, Mumbai, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, with the assistance of local police forces.
Widespread Recoveries Across GRP Jurisdictions
The stolen mobile phones were recovered from various GRP police station areas under the Lucknow jurisdiction:
- Charbagh: 139 phones
- Ayodhya: 24 phones
- Sultanpur: 14 phones
- Raebareli: 13 phones
- Pratapgarh: 24 phones
- Barabanki: 20 phones
- Akbarpur: 7 phones
- Shahjahanpur: 7 phones
- Hardoi: 36 phones
- Unnao: 14 phones
- Lakhimpur: 5 phones
- Pilibhit: 1 phone
- Sitapur: 6 phones
In one instance, the GRP team spent three days in a remote rural area of Bardhaman, West Bengal, to recover a stolen mobile phone after the user became aware of their presence. Through persistent surveillance, they successfully located the individual and recovered the device.
How the Surveillance Team Operates
The GRP’s surveillance team operates under the direct supervision of the Superintendent of Police. Passengers whose mobile phones are stolen while traveling by train within the 14 districts under the Lucknow region can file an FIR either online or offline from anywhere in the country.
Once the case reaches Lucknow, the surveillance team begins tracking the mobile phone using its IMEI number as soon as it’s activated. After gathering all necessary information, GRP constables stationed at various police stations are dispatched to different parts of the country to recover the phones. The constables then bring the recovered phones back to Lucknow, where they are returned to their rightful owners.
