DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Punjab Police Wednesday said it successfully returned to their rightful owners 413 vehicles, 85 mobile phones, numerous household items and jewellery which were seized over the past year in 583 cases registered in the city.

The items were handed over to the owners at a special event -- "Arpan Samaroh" -- organised at Police Lines in Jalandhar, said an official release.

Punjab Director General of Police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav said the the Jalandhar Commissionerate successfully returned the 413 vehicles, 85 mobile phones, numerous household items, jewellery, and other domestic goods which had been part of 583 different cases registered in the city over the past year.

Additionally, around 100 lost smartphones, valued at Rs 20 lakhs, were also handed over to their owners after being traced through the Central Equipment Identity Register (CEIR) portal, he added.

Jalandhar Commissioner of Police (CP) Swapan Sharma said this initiative was designed to foster trust among citizens by returning their hard-earned belongings that had been either stolen or snatched, or were seized during probe in various criminal cases.

"I had lost all hopes of recovering my stolen smartphone, but thanks to the Jalandhar Police, I have got it back," said Baljeet Kaur.

(editor@dailyworld.in)