Bengaluru police debunk viral 'free ride for women' hoax, say no late-night lift service available

Police across the city and state are fielding a surge of calls about a fake social media post claiming free late-night rides for women.

In the past few days, city and district police in Bengaluru have been inundated with frantic calls about a viral social media post promising free rides for women from 10 pm to 6 am. The buzz has led many to believe that the police are offering a late-night lift service to homes or other destinations.

The Bengaluru City Police confirmed that the message is bogus and advised the public to dial 112 for genuine emergencies. (Representative Image)

Control room staff are having a tough time juggling these queries, trying to douse the flames of confusion, a report said. The message, as it turns out, is pure fiction — there is no such scheme from the police department.

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Police across the state are emphasizing that they are always available to help women in distress, day or night, but there’s no free ride program.

The official Bengaluru city police account on social media platform X clarified on the same and wrote, “ALERT!! The message circulating about free travel for women from 10 PM to 6 AM is FAKE. Please rely only on official sources. In any emergency, dial #Namma112 for immediate help. #WeServeWeProtect.”

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According to police sources, the social media stir has seen people not only questioning the legitimacy of the supposed scheme but also seeking guidance on how to utilize the fictional scheme.

Bengaluru district superintendent of police CK Baba, Shivamogga’s top cop SP GK Mithun Kumar and several other highly placed officials also posted similar messages urging the public to ignore the misleading post and use 112 for genuine emergencies.

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The supposedly fake viral message featured two numbers — one for elderly help and another ten-digit number that’s mysteriously off the grid. Police suspect the elusive number might be based somewhere in North India.

So, remember: If you need a ride, the cops won’t be your chauffeur, but they will always be there to help in a real emergency.