Chandigarh, Feb. 3 -- Street brawls and public quarrels were the leading cause of distress calls to the Chandigarh Police Control Room (PCR) in 2024, with a staggering 22,000 calls reporting physical altercations, public disputes and fights, according to RTI data.

In total, more than 1 lakh emergency calls flooded the PCR in 2024, marking a significant increase from around 98,000 the previous year.

Quarrels and public fights topped the list with 22,147 calls, followed by 11,775 accident-related emergencies, highlighting ongoing traffic safety issues. Other incidents, including medical emergencies, theft and fire-related calls, made up the remaining 67,000 reports.

Alcohol-related disputes were common in these street brawls, with intoxi...