90% of Calls to Indian Emergency Service are Pranks

india-phone According to an article in The Times of India an overwhelming majority of calls to police in the city of Patna, India are prank callers. Dial 100, the local equivalent of the American 911 system, reports 1,800 out of 2,000 daily calls are pranks. Calls seem to increase on holidays such as Holi, New Year’s and April Fools Day.

The most common thing said by the callers? “Zara call milaake dekh rahe the ki line thik hai ki nahi (I was checking the phone line connection)”. Fake crimes are also commonly reported.