Mumbai Police Uses Viral Baby Monkey ‘Punch’ to Promote Emergency Helpline 112

Through hashtags like #JustPunchIn112 and #WiseMonkeyAdvise, the initiative encouraged people to remember 112

Mumbai

The Mumbai Police creatively used the story of a viral baby monkey named Punch to raise awareness about India’s emergency helpline number 112. Punch, a baby Japanese macaque, went viral after being abandoned by his mother and captured public attention with heartwarming images of him clinging to a stuffed toy.

To make their campaign memorable, the police drew inspiration from the famous “three wise monkeys” representing See no evil, Hear no evil, Speak no evil and added a fourth image featuring Punch with the message “Bura Mat Karo” (Don’t do bad).

Through hashtags like #JustPunchIn112 and #WiseMonkeyAdvise, along with the tagline “Be wise, report vice”, the initiative encouraged people to remember 112 as the number to call in emergencies, whether for police, ambulance, or fire services.

By combining a viral, relatable story with an important public safety message, the campaign not only captured public attention but also reinforced the idea that help is always available, using humor and empathy to make citizens more aware and engaged.