How to file an FIR — and what a zero-FIR is

Something has happened that you need the police to act on, and you're not sure how the process even starts. The First Information Report — the FIR — is that start, and while it can feel intimidating, filing one is your right, not a favour the station does you.

What an FIR is

An FIR is the police's written record of a serious (cognisable) offence, and registering it is what sets an investigation in motion. You have the right to have it recorded, to have it read back to you, and to get a free copy. Those aren't extras to ask nicely for — they're built into the process.

How to file one

1. Go to the police station — ideally the one for the area where it happened — and explain what occurred.
2. Give it in writing if you can, plainly and in order: what happened, when, where, who was involved, and any witnesses. If you speak it, the police write it down and read it back — check it before signing.
3. Get your free copy and note the FIR number.
4. Keep any evidence — messages, photos, documents, medical records — safe.

The zero-FIR — when it's "not their area"

If the crime happened somewhere else and the station says it's not their jurisdiction, you can still insist on a zero-FIR — any station must record it and then transfer it to the right one. You should never be turned away simply for standing at the wrong counter.

If a station flatly refuses to register your FIR, that's a separate problem with its own clear steps. Tell Miss Lucy Lite what happened and she'll help you get the reporting right.