Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Police’s emergency response service, UP-112, attended to 2,05,738 distress cases during the three-day Diwali period from Nov 7 to 9, underlining the surge in demand for police, ambulance and fire services as celebrations peaked across the state.Figures released by UP-112 headquarters showed a steep jump from the normal daily average of about 38,000 cases. The busiest day was Nov 9, when the system handled 77,753 incidents, followed by Diwali on Nov 8 with 74,816 cases. Chhoti Diwali on Nov 7 saw 53,264 incidents.Police assistance formed the largest share of the workload. UP-112 processed around 41,000 police-related requests on Nov 7, rising to nearly 56,000 on Diwali and about 59,000 on Nov 9. Police Response Vehicles were deployed across cities and villages to respond to disputes, law-and-order situations, public safety concerns and other urgent complaints.Medical calls also rose sharply. The service facilitated ambulance assistance in 36,817 cases over the three days, coordinating with health services to ensure timely support for patients requiring urgent care.Fire-related emergencies increased with extensive fireworks use and higher public activity. UP-112 recorded 7,029 fire incidents during the period, triggering coordination between control rooms, PRVs and the fire department to speed up response.UP-112 also carried out welfare assistance during the festival. Under Savera Scheme, teams helped 2,018 registered senior citizens. Under Escort for Women Safety initiative, PRVs escorted 11 women travelling alone who reported being stranded without transport late at night, a service available between 10 pm and 6 am.Officials said preparations were stepped up ahead of the festival following directions from DG UP-112 Binod Kumar Singh, with personnel kept on heightened alert and round-the-clock duty across Uttar Pradesh.
