A team of police personnel from the Powai police station successfully dissuaded a British national from committing suicide last month. Representatives from the British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai visited the police station on Thursday and expressed thanks to the team.
According to the Powai police, they received a call from the police control room that the British national was going to attempt suicide in his residence at the Torani Building in Hiranandani, Powai. A team led by Assistant Commissioner of Police Milind Khetle, Sakinaka division, rushed to the spot and found out that the man was staying on the 33rd floor of the building.
“The man had called up his wife, who stays in Sydney, Australia, about his intentions, and she informed the British Deputy High Commission in Bandra Kurla Complex. They, in turn, called the control room. The door to the man’s flat was locked from inside, and he initially refused to open it. We started talking to him through the slit in the door used to drop letters, assuring him that no action would be taken against him and that all possible help would be provided,” Mr. Khetle said.
After over half an hour, the man opened the door. The police made inquiries with him and learned that he had recently suffered a paralytic stroke. His medical papers indicated that he was under treatment of a neurologist at Hiranandani Hospital, and an ambulance was called. The man, however, refused to get into it.
“We spoke to him for around one-and-a-half hour and he finally agreed to get into our police vehicle. We took him to the hospital and got him admitted. He later told us that his recent illness coupled with loneliness had plunged him into depression,” Mr. Khetle said.
His family was informed that he was safe and his son flew down from the U.K.
On Thursday, officials from the British Deputy High Commission in BKC visited the police station and gave letters of appreciation to Mr. Khetle and the team.
“The success would not have been possible without the initiative and effort taken by police inspectors Anagha Satavase and Balwant Deshmukh, assistant police inspector Sachin Wagh, head constable Ram Hande and police constable Navnath Jawale,” Mr. Khetle said.
