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A Spanish tourist has reportedly alleged that he was asked to speak in Kannada by an emergency helpline operator when he made a call during a burglary at his home.
Jesus Abrielle, who visited India as a tourist, stayed in a flat in Bengaluru's Richmond Town. According to a report by the Times of India, two burglars broke into his apartment at around 2 am on January 15.
The burglars entered the home through the bedroom window. They stole several valuables, such as a laptop, a ring, and some documents, and then ran away through a sliding window.
A frightened Abrielle called the helpline and tried to explain the situation, but the operator allegedly asked him to speak in Kannada. He then went on to disconnect the call.
Abrielle remained in his bedroom till the morning, when he made a call to police and told them about the situation.
The Bengaluru Police have said that no call was received from Abrielle during the burglary.
They said the helpline received the first call at 9:18 am, and it was disconnected without any conversation.
A few minutes later, the second call was placed and provided limited information. The helpline operator on this call replied in Kannada, which led to the disconnection.
Abrielle's neighbours, Syed Ashfaq and Syed Abdus Salam, dialled the emergency number, and only then was an incident report made.
The Police said they sent a Hoysala vehicle to the location, but it could not reach it because the tourist had not responded.
According to Hindustan Times (HT), a police officer said that they receive around 15,000-20,000 calls daily. Out of these, only around 1,500 are real.
He said miscommunication is common, and it is sometimes difficult to identify genuine calls. However, he added that the Hoysala team does not close the case until it is resolved.
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