Social media sleuths aid Mumbai man in retrieving lost airpod

Nikhil Jain, a Mumbai-based social media marketing professional, encountered an unexpected turn of events while vacationing in Kerala, as his Airpod went missing within a national park.

Undeterred by the challenge, Jain turned to social media for assistance, acknowledging the limitations faced in the pursuit of police intervention.

After losing track of his device inside a bus in the park, Jain's attempts to locate it were interrupted by the lack of signal. "When I finally did [track it], it was already on the move, and was in another national park about 40 km from where I was," recounted Jain.

Despite efforts alongside Kerala police, the lack of specific room location details within a hotel hindered progress, with the authorities citing client privilege.

Undeterred, Jain meticulously tracked the Airpod's journey from Kerala to Goa, surmising the person involved hailed from the latter region. "So, I watched my device travel through Mangalore to Goa. When it stayed put in Goa."

Taking to social media platform X, Jain posted a plea for assistance, sharing the individual's presumed location in South Goa. "I recently lost my new airpods in kerala and this ** person is travelling with it. the person is in south goa since 2 days, so I'm guessing they live there. does anyone here live around dr. alvaro de loyola furtado road in south goa? rt for reach, etc," he wrote.

The collective efforts of X members swiftly came into play. Within minutes, a user pinpointed the house using Google Street Map, initiating a chain reaction that led to contact with a neighbour's relative, who confirmed possession of the device and promised to hand it over to the Margao police station. "My relatives stay exactly there and I sent them the deets. They mentioned their neighbours did go to Kerala recently."

By December 22, the Airpod had safely reached the police station, confirmed by Jain's communication with the authorities. Despite numerous volunteers from X offering aid, Jain waited for his friend Sanket's visit to Goa to retrieve the device, expressing gratitude for the community's support.

The triumphant moment arrived when Sanket successfully obtained the Airpod, marked by Jain's celebratory post on X. The incident, garnering widespread attention, saw unexpected responses from companies like Ather Energy and a Bengaluru-based bakery, offering rewards in recognition of the story's viral impact.

Reflecting on the incident, Jain expressed gratitude for the device's safe return, acknowledging the potential complications had the individual not chosen to hand it over to the authorities. The incident also prompted similar stories shared by other X users, highlighting the power of persistence and community support on social media platforms.