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Bengaluru Police dismiss claims of Spanish tourist being asked to speak in Kannada during emergency call
Bengaluru police denied claims that a helpline operator asked Spanish tourist to speak in Kannada during a burglary emergency call.
Bengaluru police have issued a clarification regarding a recent incident involving Spanish tourist Jesus Abrielle, who faced difficulties when trying to get help from the city's emergency helpline. Contrary to initial reports, the police have denied claims that the helpline operator asked Abrielle to “speak in Kannada” during his call for help.
(Also read: Kannada language row erupts again: Entrepreneur accuses cop of harassment, Bengaluru police reacts)
According to a report by TOI, Abrielle, in his mid-30s, was left frightened and isolated in his ground-floor flat in the Nydus apartment complex in Richmond Town. Early on January 15, he dialled the emergency number 112 when two burglars broke into his home. Abrielle tried to explain his situation in a mix of broken English and Spanish, but, as per earlier reports, the helpline operator allegedly requested him to speak in Kannada before disconnecting the call.
Burglar’s crime and Abrielle's fearful wait
The incident occurred around 2:00 AM when the burglars gained entry into the flat through a window in one of the bedrooms. Abrielle, who was in another room, heard the noise but did not dare to step out, fearing the intruders might harm him. They spent about 30 minutes in the flat, stealing valuables such as his laptop, platinum ring, wallet with cash, and identification documents, amounting to ₹82,000. Despite their apparent lack of awareness of further valuables, the burglars fled through a sliding window, leaving Abrielle shaken and unable to call for help immediately.
His landlord, Sudeep S, was alerted around 8:30 AM and rushed to the scene. Abrielle remained holed up in his bedroom until he finally made a successful call to the police later that morning.
Police clarify the helpline's response
In their clarification, the Bengaluru police confirmed that no call from Abrielle was registered at the time of the burglary. They explained that when he first called the helpline at 9:17 AM, the call was disconnected without conversation. A second call, placed two minutes later, provided limited information, and the helpline operator responded in Kannada, which led to another disconnection.
It was only after neighbours Syed Ashfaq and Syed Abdus Salam contacted the emergency number that a proper incident report was made, and the police responded promptly. A Hoysala vehicle was dispatched but could not reach the location due to lack of response from Abrielle.
(Also read: Delhi CEO takes a dig at Bengaluru’s Kannada language issue in hiring post: ‘Delhi NCR is better’)
Emergency helpline faces heavy call load
A senior police officer highlighted the challenges faced by the city's emergency helpline, which handles 15,000 to 20,000 calls daily, of which only around 1,500 are genuine. The officer explained that prank calls and miscommunications, such as the one involving Abrielle, are common, with callers sometimes mistaken for intoxicated individuals or pranksters.
The police stressed that once a genuine call is identified, it is forwarded to the nearest Hoysala team, who will not close the case until the situation is fully verified.
