Varanasi Theft Case: Mumbai Techie Tracks Stolen Phone Herself After Police Inaction

A Mumbai-based software engineer managed to recover her stolen mobile phone in Varanasi after taking matters into her own hands, exposing serious lapses in local policing that ultimately led to disciplinary action against a police officer.

The incident took place at the crowded Assi Ghat area in Varanasi, where Ankita Gupta, a resident of Mumbai, was visiting with her family. During the rush at the popular riverside location, her smartphone was allegedly snatched by an unidentified person who disappeared into the crowd.

Gupta immediately approached the local police and filed a complaint. However, with no visible progress in the case, she decided to rely on technology and her own network to track the stolen device.

With help from friends, Gupta used location-tracking tools linked to her handset and traced its signal to a residential property in the Manduadih area of Varanasi. After confirming the location, she passed the information to the police, prompting them to finally act on the lead.

A police team subsequently raided the identified house and recovered Gupta’s phone. The operation also led to the seizure of 12 additional stolen mobile phones, indicating the presence of a larger theft racket operating in the area.

Senior police officials confirmed that the recovery raised questions about the initial handling of the complaint. Following the incident, Gaurav Kumar, Deputy Commissioner of Police, ordered an internal inquiry into the matter.

The probe found negligence on the part of the officer in charge of the Assi police outpost, who reportedly failed to act promptly despite the availability of actionable information. As a result, the outpost in-charge was suspended on January 4.

The case has triggered wider discussion on police responsiveness, particularly in tourist-heavy cities where theft complaints are common. It has also highlighted how access to digital tools and basic technical knowledge can sometimes compensate for institutional delays — though citizens are not expected to shoulder investigative responsibilities themselves.

While Gupta’s initiative ensured the recovery of her device and helped uncover a chain of stolen phones, the incident has once again brought attention to accountability gaps in ground-level policing.