Prank, fake calls to Bengaluru’s Namma 112 helpline: A recurring challenge for police control room operators and Hoysala teams
Bengaluru police are struggling with a high volume of prank and fake emergency calls to the 112 helpline, which diverts critical resources from genuine crises. Official data shows millions of non-emergency calls, creating significant operational challenges for control room staff.
Why it matters
Misuse of emergency services threatens public safety by delaying response times for real emergencies and wasting taxpayer-funded resources.
The emergency response system of the Bengaluru Police is facing a persistent problem. A message was received through the Hoysala Control Room recently. The caller, later identified as Umesh, said that four persons had been assaulted near a gate within Bandepalya police station limits.
Acting on the information, ASI Venkatesh M. and other police personnel, along with local police staff, rushed to the location to verify the complaint. However, upon reaching the spot, officers found that no such incident had occurred.
Police conducted inquiries in the area and contacted the informant, Umesh, who had reportedly provided the information through a mobile phone number. Further verification revealed that the alert was false and no assault or law-and-order issue had taken place at the reported location.
Based on the findings, Bandepalya Police registered an NCR and initiated legal proceedings against the caller for allegedly furnishing false information to the police.
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