The Sri Lanka Police has taken steps to address the misuse of the 119 Emergency Hotline, including false and irrelevant complaints.
Introduced in 2004, the hotline is intended for urgent situations where immediate police intervention is required, such as disasters or emergencies.
However, the Police noted a rising number of calls involving false reports or non-emergency issues that should be directed to other relevant institutions.
Common misuses include complaints about customer service, bribery, government irregularities, and non-urgent issues like land or financial disputes.
Such misuse delays responses to genuine emergencies, as it consumes valuable time and resources, forcing people in real need to wait.
The Police warned that legal action will be taken against those filing false complaints, with court reports to be submitted against offenders.
Additionally, phone numbers that repeatedly misuse the service may be temporarily blocked from accessing the hotline.
The Police urge the public to use the 119 hotline responsibly and only in true emergencies to ensure effective and timely assistance.
