Mumbai Police’s Friendship Day post goes viral for helpline share

Mumbai Police’s Friendship Day post on Sunday, August 2, 2026, describing the department as ‘that one friend who’s just a call away,’ went viral for sharing four essential emergency helpline numbers.

The message read, ‘That one friend who’s just a call away. Always there for you. Always ready to help,’ posted in English and Marathi with friendship-themed graphics.

The helplines shared were 112, the all-in-one emergency response number; 1930, the cybercrime and financial fraud helpline; 103, the women’s safety helpline; and 1915, the senior citizens’ helpline.

Friendship Day, observed on the first Sunday of August, marks the bond of friendship, a theme Mumbai Police used to position emergency services as a reliable ‘friend’ during a crisis.

The department frequently ties civic awareness messages to festive occasions on social media, an approach that has repeatedly gone viral in the past.

The post drew a warm response online, with many users appreciating the department’s creative way of sharing essential safety information.

Mumbai Police’s official social media handles have built a large following over the years, partly due to their consistent use of humour, pop culture references and timely public safety reminders.

Mumbai Police has a long history of using festive occasions and pop-culture references to spread civic awareness messages, a social media approach that has repeatedly gone viral over the years.

The 1930 cybercrime helpline connects callers directly to India’s National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal network, allowing victims of financial fraud to report incidents and potentially freeze fraudulent transactions quickly.

The 112 number consolidates India’s earlier separate emergency lines for police, fire and ambulance services into a single all-in-one helpline, part of a nationwide Emergency Response Support System.

Social media users responded to the post with messages of appreciation, with several praising the department’s creative approach to reminding citizens of essential safety resources on a lighthearted occasion.

Photo by Nichalp, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0