Diwali 2026: Fire incidents surge 565% in Gujarat, assault cases up 79%
Synopsis
Gujarat's 112 emergency service logged 5,651 calls on Diwali — 2,041 more than a normal day — with fire incidents spiking an extraordinary 565% and assault cases up nearly 79%. The numbers reveal a persistent annual public safety crisis that authorities have yet to structurally address.
Key Takeaways
Gujarat's 112 emergency service received 5,651 calls during Diwali — a 56.54% rise over the daily average of 3,610 .
Fire incidents surged 565.45% , from 55 on normal days to 366 during Diwali; Surat City led with 82 fire calls.
Assault cases rose 78.93% , from 617 to 1,104 ; public disputes jumped 62.67% to 1,651 .
Noise pollution complaints more than doubled — up 205.04% from 119 to 363 .
Domestic violence complaints increased from 57 to 101 ; physical assaults on women and children rose 33.33% .
Road accident calls were the sole category to decline, falling 26.01% to 276 during the festival period.
Gujarat's 112 emergency response service recorded a dramatic spike in distress calls during the Diwali festivities, logging 5,651 calls — a 56.54% rise over the average 3,610 calls received on normal days. Fire-related emergencies, public disputes, and assault cases all registered steep increases, underscoring the public safety challenges that accompany the festival season.
Fire Incidents: Steepest Rise Across the State
Fire-related calls saw the sharpest escalation, jumping from 55 on a typical day to 366 during Diwali — a staggering 565.45% increase. Surat City recorded the highest number of fire incidents at 82, followed by Ahmedabad City with 56, Rajkot City with 44, and Surat Rural with 37.
Vadodara City reported 22 fire incidents, while Jamnagar logged 14 and Gandhinagar and Kachchh East each reported 12. Ahmedabad Rural recorded 11 incidents. Districts including Bhavnagar, Dahod, Kachchh West, Patan, Surendranagar, Valsad, Bharuch, and Mahisagar also reported multiple fire-related emergencies, while several smaller districts logged one or two incidents each.
Assaults, Disputes, and Noise Complaints Climb
Public disputes and quarrels rose from 967 on normal days to 1,651 during Diwali, marking a 62.67% jump. Assault cases surged from 617 to 1,104 — a 78.93% increase. Noise pollution complaints more than doubled, rising from 119 to 363, a 205.04% spike that reflects the intensity of firecracker activity across the state.
Physical assaults on women and children climbed from 189 to 252 — a 33.33% rise — while threats to life increased from 119 to 194, up 63.03%. Calls relating to women in distress rose from 88 to 109, and domestic violence complaints increased from 57 to 101 during the festival period.
Theft and Abuse Reports Also Rise
Theft cases involving property, vehicles, and animals increased from 140 to 184, while abuse complaints climbed from 92 to 145. Calls under miscellaneous emergencies went up from 796 to 906, a 13.82% rise.
One Silver Lining: Road Accidents Down
Amid the overall surge, road accident-related calls bucked the trend, falling from 373 on normal days to 276 during Diwali — a decline of 26.01%. This likely reflects reduced vehicle movement as residents stay home for the festival, a pattern observed in previous years as well.
In total, the 112 service handled 2,041 additional calls during Diwali compared to a normal day, with fire incidents, public disputes, and assault cases accounting for the bulk of the increase. The data points to a recurring public safety pressure point during the festival season and raises questions about preparedness, awareness campaigns, and enforcement ahead of future festivities.
Point of View
Annual pattern — which makes the absence of a proportionate state-level preparedness response harder to justify. Gujarat's 112 data is granular enough to enable district-specific pre-positioning of fire and emergency crews during Diwali, yet the numbers suggest this has not happened at scale. The near-doubling of domestic violence complaints and the rise in assaults on women and children during a 'celebratory' period deserves as much policy attention as the fire statistics. The one positive — a 26% drop in road accidents — suggests that behavioural change is possible with the right conditions; the question is whether that lesson can be applied to firecracker safety and crowd management.
NationPress
9 Nov 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How many emergency calls did Gujarat receive during Diwali 2026?
Gujarat's 112 emergency service received 5,651 calls during the Diwali festivities, compared to a daily average of 3,610 — a 56.54% increase. This translates to 2,041 additional calls handled during the festival period.
By how much did fire incidents increase during Diwali in Gujarat?
Fire-related incidents rose 565.45% during Diwali, from 55 on a normal day to 366. Surat City reported the highest number of fire incidents at 82, followed by Ahmedabad City with 56 and Rajkot City with 44.
Which districts in Gujarat reported the most fire incidents during Diwali?
Surat City led with 82 fire incidents, followed by Ahmedabad City (56), Rajkot City (44), Surat Rural (37), and Vadodara City (22). Jamnagar, Gandhinagar, Kachchh East, and Ahmedabad Rural also recorded notable numbers.
Did road accidents increase during Gujarat's Diwali celebrations?
No — road accident-related calls were the one category to decline, falling 26.01% from 373 on a normal day to 276 during Diwali. This is likely due to reduced vehicle movement as people stay home during the festival.
How did domestic violence and assaults on women trend during Diwali in Gujarat?
Domestic violence complaints increased from 57 to 101 during Diwali, while physical assaults on women and children rose 33.33%, from 189 to 252. Calls relating to women in distress also climbed from 88 to 109 over the same period.
