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Fact Check: Modi Govt Launched Helpline For Women Travelling Alone At Night?

Though it may have been helpful but the information turns out to be false. Actually, this was a Mumbai specific service only, which was stopped in 2017 itself.

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Surabhi Pandey
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Fact Check: Modi Govt Launched Helpline For Women Travelling Alone At Night?

Hyderabad and Bengaluru Police have already issued clarification on the fake helpline number. ( Photo Credit : PIB/Twitter)

Amid the outrage over recent macabre crimes against women across India, a news is going viral that the Narendra Modi government has ordered the state polices to launch a dedicated ‘helpline’ number for women travelling at night. People are sharing screenshots from WhatsApp and other social media platforms that says, “Women travelling alone at night in auto or taxi can SMS the vehicle’s no. to the Police (9969777888) & their vehicles will be traced through GPRS.” Though it may have been helpful but the information turns out to be false. Actually, this was a Mumbai specific service only. It has been discontinued since 2017, the PIB said.

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This news is not restricted to one city. Again and again, the fake helpline number is being shared in various regions. On December 3, Hyderabad Police had also issued a clarification via its official twitter handle about this fake helpline number. “#FakeNews Circulating on #SocialMedia Regarding #Telangana Police Introduced a New Mobile Tracking Number (9969777888) While Travelling in Cabs & Autos it is Fake News Don't Circulate it,” the Hyderabad Police said on micro-blogging site.

An ALT News report also cited a Facebook Post that had claimed that the helplne number will trace the women in distress. On December 3, one Dabloo Sinha Ara posted an image with a similar claim in Hindi on Facebook which read, “सूचना : अकेले सफर करने वाली महिलाओ के हित में जारी आप जब भी अकेले रात में ऑटो या टैकà¥Âसी में बैठें तो उसे उस ऑटो या टैकà¥Âसी का नमà¥Âबर 9969777888 पर SMS कर दें,आपके फोन पर ततà¥Âकाल मैसेज आà¤Âगा à¤Âकà¥Âनॉलेजमेंट का,आपके वाहन पर GPRS से नजर रखी जाà¤Âगी,धनà¥Âयवाद (Announcement: Released in the interest of women travelling alone. If you are travelling alone at night in auto or taxi, SMS the number of the vehicle to 9969777888. You will immediately receive a message of acknowledgement and you will be tracked via GPRS. Thank you.)”

Bengaluru Police had also issued clarification looking at the viral nature of the fake helpline message. “#Fake message is floating on Whatsapp regarding this number as BCP’s Women Helpline. The number does not belong to BCP People are requested not to believe or share this fake message. Stringent action will be taken against those who create and spread fake messages on social media,” the tweet said.     

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