Delhi Police received more than 2 lakh prank calls last year

Mature calls are referred to calls that are recorded once a caller presses 8 after dialling the emergency SOS number 112 while in actionable calls, police takes action and inspects the spot based on the distress call. A single emergency helpline number for police, fire and ambulance, the Emergency Response Support System 112 was launched in 2019, replacing multiple numbers.

In 2021, 51 lakh mature PCR calls were received by police, out of which 14 lakh were actionable.

An officer said: “Our PCR command centre based in Shalimar Bagh receives at least 500 to 600 prank or phony calls every day, an issue they have been briefed well to tackle. Such instances include when callers, often in drunken condition, play pranks on police and dial emergency number, claiming that an incident has taken place but when PCR vehicles reach the spot, no such instance is reported… callers who dial the emergency number consecutively for eight times are automatically blocked for 24 hours and unblocked thereafter… the number of prank calls has not seen a significant upward trend but remains an issue for which the staff is adequately given instructions.”

The officer said that in certain instances, prank callers are identified and details sent to district police for further action.

“In cases of fire or ambulance calls, distress caller is directed to the respective command centre while in crime calls, in both heinous and non-heinous cases, information is relayed to the nearest PCR staff …mature calls also include feedback or appreciation calls,” said an officer.