IEP Chandigarh, July 29
If your phone is lost or stolen, there’s no need to worry. The Government of India has taken a significant step towards addressing mobile phone theft and protecting consumer interests with the launch of the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) web portal (ceir.gov.in). To inform and train law enforcement agencies on utilizing this portal effectively, a one-day workshop was organized by Indian Telecom officials at the State Crime Branch Headquarters for CCTNS and Cyber Cell officials.The workshop targeted Cyber Cell and CCTNS officers of the state, providing them with valuable insights into reporting mobile theft or loss on the CEIR portal and how the investigating agencies can leverage it.The CEIR portal offers an important feature where users can immediately block their stolen or lost mobile phones, preventing unauthorized access and misuse of personal data. Additionally, the public can conveniently register complaints from the comfort of their homes and track the status of their complaints on the portal. ADGP Crime Haryana, Sh. O.P. Singh, while addressing the attendees, emphasized that a “CEIR desk” will be established in every district to assist those with limited technological knowledge. This desk will upload data of lost or stolen mobile phones in the district onto the portal, aiding the efforts to curb the counterfeit mobile phone market and discourage thefts. The State Crime Branch will also receive monthly reports on this matter.In the workshop, Deputy Director General Asit Kadian and Assistant Director General Sachin from the Department of Telecom were present in the workshop.Moreover, the State Crime Branch Chief Sh. OP Singh acknowledged the cooperation of the Indian Department of Telecom and highlighted that the general public will be made aware of the portal’s launch to encourage immediate reporting of lost or stolen mobile devices. The portal allows users to block their phones by entering the IMEI number or unblock them if needed.To integrate the CEIR portal with CCTNS (Crime and Criminal Tracking Network & Systems), testing is underway, and the data will soon be synchronized. This integration will enable seamless sharing of data with other institutions. The state police are committed to creating awareness among the public about this facility operated by the Government of India and will conduct programs in each district to achieve this objective.For individuals who have lost their mobile phones, reporting the incident on the CEIR portal involves a few simple steps. First, they need to register an FIR at the nearest police station and obtain a duplicate SIM card from their telecom service provider. Then, by providing the mobile number/IMEI number on the CEIR Grievance Online Registration Form (https://ceir.gov.in/Request/CeirUserBlockRequestDirect.jsp), they can block the handset from accessing any mobile network in the future.For those unfamiliar with the portal, a CEIR desk will soon be set up for mobile-related complaints. Trained staff at these desks will assist the general public in registering their complaints on the portal and taking appropriate action after receiving the calls.
