Spaniard in Bengaluru dials police helpline as burglars enter flat, but operator cuts call for not speaking in Kannada todayheadline

In a troubling incident early Wednesday morning, a Spaniard was trapped in his Bengaluru apartment for nearly six hours after two burglars broke into his flat. Despite calling the emergency number 112, a miscommunication caused by the operator’s request to speak in Kannada left him without immediate assistance, a TOI report stated.Jesus Abrielle, a consultant in his mid-30s, was alone in his ground-floor flat at the Nydus apartment complex on Langford Road. Around 2 am, two intruders broke into his home by removing the louver window glasses from the bathroom of one of the bedrooms. While the burglars spent approximately 30 minutes inside, Abrielle stayed confined to another bedroom, fearing for his safety.

Unable to speak Kannada, Abrielle dialed 112 for help, but the helpline operator responded by requesting that he speak in Kannada before cutting the call. “He heard the noise and immediately dialed helpline 112. But he didn’t get assistance due to the communication problem. The call attendant asked him to speak in Kannada and later disconnected the line,” said Sudeep S, Abrielle’s landlord.

Burglars Steal Valuables

The burglars made off with a laptop, a platinum ring, headphones, a wallet containing Rs 10,000, along with Abrielle’s Spanish ID card, driving license, and debit cards. They entered through the bathroom window and exited through a sliding window in the same bedroom. Despite taking valuables worth Rs 82,000, they failed to notice other items of value, including cash and expensive clothing.

Delayed Response

After the incident, Abrielle remained in his bedroom until 8:30 am, when he contacted his landlord, who rushed to the apartment. “Abrielle was traumatized after the incident; he didn’t call anyone till 8:30 am,” Sudeep said.

No CCTV Coverage

The apartment complex lacks CCTV cameras, which made it difficult for authorities to gather evidence. A security guard at the entrance, who was conversing with a nearby watchman during the burglary, didn’t hear anything due to the flat’s isolated location at the complex’s dead end.

Police are investigating the possibility that the burglars were laborers working in the ongoing construction projects in the area. They are examining CCTV footage from nearby buildings and roads for potential leads.

Police Investigation and Response

A case has been filed under sections 305 (theft in a dwelling house) and 331 (punishment for house trespass or housebreaking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).In response to the communication issue, a senior police officer suggested that the emergency helpline operator might have mistaken Abrielle’s mixed Spanish-English call for a prank or a drunk dial. The officer explained that the helpline receives a large volume of calls, many of which are frivolous. “The emergency helpline in the city gets 15,000-20,000 calls in a day, and only about 1,500 of them are genuine,” the officer said.

Genuine calls, according to the officer, are directed to the nearest Hoysala team for immediate action, ensuring that no case is closed before verifying the situation on-site.