BENGALURU: Individuals reporting emergencies via the Namma 112 helpline in Karnataka can choose to remain anonymous, according to the Bengaluru city police in response to a Right to Information (RTI) query filed by city-based RTI activist and NGO founder Dushyant Dubey.
Dubey filed the RTI on January 15, with RTI No. HMBUH/ R/2025/80015, while the Bengaluru city police provided the clarification on February 7.
The police responded that callers have the option to keep their identity anonymous when making an 112 emergency call. To remain anonymous, callers must clearly state, “Please keep my data anonymous” or “I wish to stay anonymous” during the call. It is mandatory for 112 operators to protect the callers’ privacy and mask details when anonymity is requested.
If anonymity is not maintained, the caller can escalate the issue during a feedback call after the complaint is closed. They can also provide a one-star rating and raise their concern with the feedback team. These reports are then taken up by the deputy commissioner of police (DCP) in charge of the Command Centre for necessary action.
The press release stated that this is a significant step toward ensuring that individuals feel safe and empowered to report emergencies without the fear of their identity being revealed. The ability to remain anonymous encourages more people to come forward and report incidents, ultimately contributing to public safety and security, it added.