The Mumbai Police have adopted a creative and light-hearted approach to spread awareness about the national emergency helpline number 112, using the popularity of Punch, a viral baby monkey from Japan, to convey a serious public message.
In a post shared on Instagram, Mumbai Police used images inspired by the classic “three wise monkeys” philosophy. The first three slides featured monkeys with the messages “Bura Mat Dekho” (See no evil), “Bura Mat Suno” (Hear no evil), and “Bura Mat Kaho” (Speak no evil). The final slide carried the image of Punch, a Japanese macaque, holding his beloved stuffed toy, accompanied by the message “Bura Mat Karo” (Do no evil). The campaign was wrapped up with the hashtags #JustPunchIn112 and #WiseMonkeyAdvise.
Punch’s story has touched hearts across social media. Abandoned by his mother at birth, the baby macaque found comfort in a plush orangutan toy provided by his caretakers. Images and videos of Punch clinging to the toy went viral globally, symbolising vulnerability, care and resilience, elements Mumbai Police cleverly tied into their public safety message.
The initiative follows a similar outreach effort by the Delhi Police, who recently used Punch’s image to promote the same emergency helpline. In their social media post, a uniformed police officer was shown walking alongside the monkey, with the caption highlighting that help is always available and urging citizens to dial 112 in times of need.
The 112 emergency helpline is an internationally recognised single emergency number that connects citizens to police, ambulance and fire services. It can be accessed through phone calls, SMS, email, panic buttons and the ‘112 India’ mobile application, making it a critical lifeline during emergencies.
Meanwhile, zookeepers in Japan say Punch is gradually integrating with other monkeys despite facing initial difficulties, including bullying by older macaques, a process they describe as a natural part of social learning.
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