Mumbai techie tracks down stolen phone in UP after local police fail to help

After the police raided the place, they found Gupta's phone among 12 others. (Image credit: @Delhiite_/X)

A Mumbai-based software engineer tracked down her stolen mobile phone on her own after it was snatched at Varanasi’s Assi Ghat. The lapse that later led to the suspension of a local police outpost in-charge for alleged negligence, India Today reported.

The incident took place on December 30, when Ankita Gupta, a resident of Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area, was visiting Varanasi with her family. Amid heavy crowding at Assi Ghat, an unidentified person allegedly snatched her Samsung S23 Ultra mobile phone and disappeared into the crowd.

Police complaint and delays

Gupta later approached the Bhelupur police station and lodged a complaint. But, officials allegedly failed to trace the device or take swift follow‑up action, prompting Gupta to attempt to locate the phone herself, the publication reported.

Tracking the device independently

With help from her engineer friends, Gupta used technical tools to track the phone’s live location, which eventually led her to a residential property in the Manduadih area of Varanasi.

After identifying the location, she alerted police and shared the details, officials said.

Raid leads to multiple recoveries

Acting on Gupta’s information, a police team raided the premises and recovered her phone. The search also led to the seizure of several other stolen devices.

“During the operation, the team recovered 12 additional mobile phones from the house,” a senior police officer said, while another official put the total number of seized devices at between 15 and 20, including several iPhones.

Inquiry ordered, officer suspended

Following the recovery and subsequent media attention, Deputy Commissioner of Police Gaurav Kumar ordered an internal inquiry into the handling of the case.

The probe found negligence on the part of the Assi Ghat police outpost in‑charge Rohit Tripathi, officials said. He was suspended on January 4 for failing to act promptly on the complaint.

Spotlight on policing gaps

Police officials said further investigation is underway to identify the suspects linked to the recovered phones and to determine whether the location had been used as a hub for receiving stolen devices. This incident, however, has sparked criticism over policing lapses in tourist-heavy areas of Varanasi.

Social media users praise techie

As the news went viral, social media users heaped praises on the Mumbai techie. One even tagged the Mumbai Police and requested them to hire Gupta immediately. "Every Indian state and city needs this kind of tech-savvy people," the user said.

"Wow! When the system failed, Ankita turned detective and busted a phone theft racket herself," another added, while a third X user commented: "The police only work if someone is influential, not for the common man."