The city police has urged the public to check IMEI (International Mobile Equipment Identity) details of used mobile phones through the Sanchar Saathi portal before purchasing to ensure that the device has not been blacklisted as lost or stolen.
Police sources said that though a similar directive was earlier issued to smartphone sellers, many sellers were found to be bypassing the verification process. Senior Kozhikode city police officers said that buyers should independently check the IMEI number of the used phone through the CEIR verification page of the Sanchar Saathi portal-ceir.sancharsaathi.gov.in to avoid legal complications.
The warning comes in the wake of a special drive by city police which saw 124 lost mobile phones traced and returned to their owners in two weeks. The mobile phones were handed over to the complainants on March 10 in the presence of District Superintendent of Police (Kozhikode City) G Jaidev and Deputy Commissioner of Police Cyber Crime SM Pradeep Kumar.
According to the police, the rescue drive was conducted between February 20 and March 7 using the Central Equipment Registry (CEIR) system of the Department of Telecommunications. The system enabled officers to trace phones that had been reported missing at various police stations in the district. Several facilities were located not only in Kozhikode but also from other parts of Kerala and neighboring states, they said.
Phone lock once lost
Senior officers explained that once a lost phone is registered on the Sanchar Saathi portal, its IMEI number will be blacklisted in the CEIR system. If another SIM was inserted, the system would generate a trace. This would allow investigators to identify the SIM number currently in use and trace the person holding the phone.
The police also advised the public to report the loss of phones immediately for faster results. Complaints can be lodged through the official POL-APP, the Thuna web portal or by contacting the nearest police station. The IMEI number of the phone should be clearly stated in the complaint. Complainants should also obtain a duplicate SIM card and register the loss on the CEIR website to block the device
“On the portal, applicants can select ‘Block Stolen/Lost Mobile’ and submit an application along with a claim receipt, valid identity proof and proof of purchase such as a phone invoice,” said a senior police officer from the Cyber Investigation Cell. Once the IMEI number is blocked, no SIM card will work on the device, though it can still be traced by law enforcement agencies, he said, adding that the device, once found, can be unlocked through the same website page by entering the request ID and reason for unblocking.
Published – 11 March 2026 17:16 IST
