Beed, February 14 A man from the Beed district of Maharashtra has been booked for allegedly repeatedly calling the '112' emergency number and making false claims about his wife's "death" and "disappearance", police said on Saturday.
Govind Gajendra Bharti, a resident of Helamb in Parli Vaijnath tehsil, will face action for wasting government resources and obstructing public servants from their duties, they said.
According to a police release, the most recent misuse of the helpline by Bharti took place on Thursday. Around 8 am, he called 112 to claim that his wife had passed away and he needed help.
When an ambulance was rushed to the spot, his house was found locked. Neighbours said it was a false alarm. A study of Bharti's call history showed that he had been calling the emergency helpline, the release said.
Just a day prior, he had falsely dialed 112 claiming that his wife was missing. Last month, he had called the police and said that his wife had hanged herself, according to the release.
In both instances, the police had responded to the calls only to find them fake.
"The 112 helpline is a vital lifeline meant for citizens in genuine distress. By repeatedly calling with false information, the accused not only wasted the time of the police and medical teams but also potentially delayed help for someone in real need," said inspector MA Syed from Parli Rural police station.
According to the government, 112 is an internationally recognised, easy-to-remember emergency number to get assistance in various emergencies like police, ambulance and fire.