Namma helpline responds to calls from children

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The staff at the police control room were startled when they received a call from a young girl seeking to file a complaint against her mother for allegedly reprimanding her.

What's incredible is how the police reacted to the child's call. Understanding the situation, the Bengaluru Police not only heard the child out but also called her mother in an attempt to pacify the enraged mother.

According to sources from the police, this is not surprising at all as the staff monitoring the Namma Helpline (112) often receives calls from children.

However the cops do not fail to respond to such calls. While children can dial 112 during emergencies and can seek help from the police, they also need to know the specifics about what an emergency is.

"For younger children, it might also help to talk about who the emergency workers are in your community — police officers, firefighters, paramedics, doctors, nurses, and so on — and what kinds of things they do to help people who are in trouble," said a police officer from Chandra Layout Police Station.

A few days ago, a boy while playing cricket with his friends got into an argument over who will bat first.

Having lost the argument, he dialled 112 to complain that his friends are not allowing him to join. The nearby patrolling team reached the location and advised the children to play nicely together.

A senior police official said that the parents can teach their children to dial 112 helpline when someone needs help right away because of an injury, or an immediate danger.

Children may feel scared or nervous if they have to call the police.