City police are at their wits’ end with frivolous calls from Mumbaikars to the various helplines; cops have no choice but to help resolve every issue
Police personnel rehearse along with other agencies for Maharashtra Day celebrations at Shivaji Park, Dadar, on April 27. Pic/Shadab Khan
The Mumbai Police receive numerous unusual, and often hilarious, calls every day from citizens. Complaints range from a vada pav vendor not adding chutney, to dogs barking and disturbing people’s sleep, to a stolen car-cleaning cloth. Despite the trivial nature of some issues, officers respond to every call with seriousness and professionalism.
“Duty comes first for us, and every call is important,” a police officer told mid-day. Mumbaikars frequently dial helpline numbers such as 100, 103, 112, and 1930 (cyber helpline) for assistance. While many complain that police sometimes arrive late, officers say they juggle multiple emergencies at once but still respond as quickly as possible.
Funny calls received
“The vada pav vendor didn’t put chutney inside the vada pav. Customer frustrated, needs police help.” — Call received by Kalachowkie police two weeks ago.
Police take part in rehearsals for Maharashtra Day parade at Shivaji Park earlier this year. File pic/Shadab Khan
“My car-cleaning cloth, which was drying on a rope, has been stolen. Please help me find it.” — Call received by Bhoiwada police last month.
“A tea vendor is serving tea in a plastic cup instead of a glass one. Need police intervention.” — Call received by Kalachowkie police.
“My clothes fell from the fourth floor and got stuck between the third and fourth floors. Please help retrieve it.” — Call received by Malad police a few months ago.
“Dogs are barking loudly in our area. We can’t sleep. Please take action.” — Call received by Oshiwara police, Andheri.
“Someone threw garbage in front of our building. Please help catch the culprit.” — Call received by Andheri police.
When funny becomes duty
A police officer from Kalachowkie said, “We receive such calls every day. Most are funny, but we still respond and resolve them. Recently, we got a call about a vada pav vendor not adding chutney. We went to the spot, sorted out the issue, and warned the vendor to serve properly since customers pay for it.”
An officer from Bhoiwada police recalled, “One caller reported that his car-cleaning cloth was stolen. We checked CCTV footage, identified the man who took it, and recovered the cloth. We didn’t file a case but warned him not to repeat it.”
Another officer from Malad police added, “We got a call about a cloth stuck between two floors. It sounded funny, but we treated it seriously. Retrieving it was risky as our officers had to reach near the window.”
(From left) Screen grab of the ‘missing chutney’ complaint, Screen grab of the ‘tea served in plastic cup’ complaint and Screen grab of the ‘car-cleaning cloth stolen’ complaint. Pics/By Special Arrangement
An Oshiwara officer said, “People also complain about dogs barking late at night. We coordinate with BMC’s animal control and NGOs to conduct sterilisation drives and reduce the issue.”
Beyond the bizarre
Another officer said, “Every call is important to us. Even if it sounds trivial, it’s serious to the person calling. During fire incidents, we help manage crowds, move people to safety, and assist fire and ambulance teams by creating green corridors.”
He added, “We also get calls about suspicious bags. Even though we don’t have specialised equipment, we reach the spot, secure the area, and inform the dog squad and bomb detection team immediately.”
Health emergencies ring in
Police officers also receive calls for medical help:
“I’m unwell and suffering from vomiting and loose motion. Please help me reach a doctor.” — Call received by the Khar police last month.
“I’ve run out of medicine. My son and daughter are abroad. Please help me get medicines from the pharmacy.” — Call received by Bandra police.
“In such cases, we always help,” said an officer. “Health emergencies are a priority. Many women also call late at night when they feel unsafe. We often drop them off at home in police vehicles.”
Another officer added, “Each police station has four beats with four vehicles for control room calls. Sometimes, while resolving minor complaints, we get multiple emergency calls. Still, we prioritise all and respond as quickly as possible. Every call matters; it’s our duty.”
mid-day tried to contact several DCPs for comment. They directed queries to DCP Akbar Pathan (Operations, in charge of helpline numbers), who asked to contact Mumbai Police spokesperson DCP (IPS) Rajtilak Roushan. DCP Roushan did not respond to calls or messages.
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