Within hours of announcing '167'as women helpline number, the Telecom Ministry today changedit to '181' saying the new three-digit number was easier toremember.
Amidst nationwide uproar over brutal gang-rape of a23-year old paramedic student, the Telecom Ministry for thefirst time in two years released a three-digit number, 167,for women helpline.
However, "upon request for a number that would be easierto recollect", the number has been changed to '181', astatement from the Department of Telecom said.
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit had requested TelecomMinister Kapil Sibal to allot a three-digit phone number forhelping women in distress.
"Though DoT has limited resource in respect ofthree-digit numbers, yet within two hours of the request, athree-digit number has been allotted for Chief Minister'shelpline," the statement said.
This is the first three-digit number to have beenallotted in two years.
Protests across the country are being seen demandingspeedy justice to the accused in the Delhi gangrape case,where a 23-year-old para-medical student from Dehradun wasalleged raped on Sunday night in a moving bus here.