Lieutenant Governor T.S. Sandhu on Tuesday, 12 May led a Delhi Police mass phone-return programme that handed back over 12,600 stolen and snatched mobile phones to their rightful owners across the capital's districts simultaneously. The event celebrated Operation Vishwas, an ongoing Delhi Police initiative to trace and return lost, stolen, or snatched devices — and underscored what officials are calling a new benchmark in technology-enabled policing.

Key Developments

Addressing the event, L-G Sandhu revealed that Delhi Police has recovered approximately 16,000 devices so far this year, translating to a recovery rate of 74 per cent. Of these, more than 12,600 phones were returned to owners at district-level events held simultaneously across the city. "These numbers reflect the strength of technology-enabled policing," Sandhu said, crediting the milestone to a combination of on-ground police work and digital tools.

What Operation Vishwas Involves

Operation Vishwas deploys a coordinated chain of constables tracking leads, officers coordinating verification, technical teams analysing inputs, and district units monitoring movement. The L-G was explicit that technology is only part of the equation. "Behind every recovered phone is the hard work of police personnel — constables, following leads, officers, coordinating verification, technical teams, analysing inputs, and district units, tracking movement," he said, naming every tier of the force as an equal contributor to the outcome.

Community Partnership and the Viksit Dilli Vision

Sandhu called upon citizens, Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs), and Market Welfare Associations (MWAs) to stay engaged with law enforcement. He argued that when community cooperation is active and media messaging is responsible, "policing becomes more effective and humane." The L-G framed this cooperative spirit as foundational to Viksit Dilli — his vision of a capital that reflects both India's civilisational values and modern aspirations.

India's Global Policing Ambitions

Sandhu placed Operation Vishwas within a broader national narrative, asserting that India's leadership in digital public infrastructure has made the country a global reference point for technology-driven governance. "India is building systems which are modern, transparent, and trusted — not only by its own citizens, but admired internationally," he said. He also appreciated the efforts of Police Commissioner Satish Golcha, who oversaw the operational rollout.

Broader Crime Control Agenda

Beyond phone recovery, the L-G highlighted specialised operations targeting narcotics, cybercrime, street crime, and weapons glorification as pillars of Delhi's evolving crime-control framework. He expressed confidence that Delhi Police would continue to adopt new technologies, maintain firmness against crime, and improve service delivery with a humane approach. Following the event, Sandhu also took to social media to highlight the joy of phone owners who received their devices back. With Operation Vishwas still active, further phases of device recovery and return are expected in the months ahead.