WhatsApp-Based Emergency Service for Hearing-Impaired Community

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka Police is set to launch a special emergency reporting service through WhatsApp to enable hearing-impaired individuals to contact law enforcement authorities quickly and effectively in emergency situations.

Under the new initiative, members of the hearing-impaired community will be able to submit emergency complaints to Police using WhatsApp instead of conventional voice calls.

Until a dedicated short-code similar to the 119 emergency hotline is introduced, users can access the service through the number 011-2809980.

According to Police, a specially trained officer attached to the 119 Emergency Call Division, with knowledge of sign language, will respond promptly to video calls made through the platform.

Information provided during the call will then be forwarded to the nearest police station, allowing officers to take immediate action to address the reported emergency or concern.

Police have outlined a simple process for accessing the service.

Users are required to first save the telephone number 011-2809980 on their mobile devices.

They must then place a WhatsApp audio call to the number.

Once the call is disconnected, a link will be sent to the user's phone.

By opening the link and re-entering WhatsApp, users can select "Join Browser" and then "Join Meeting" to establish contact with the 119 Emergency Division.

Authorities say successful completion of these steps will allow hearing-impaired individuals to communicate directly with Police through the specialized service.

The initiative was introduced by Sri Lanka Police under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in parallel with the 160th Police Day, which fell on September 3, 2026.

Police said all arrangements have now been completed to officially activate the service from September 10, 2026.