Anirban Blah, 40, the co-founder of Kwan Entertainment, one of the biggest celebrity management agencies in the country, was rescued in the early hours of Friday by the Vashi traffic police after they found him on the Vashi old bridge, where he allegedly attempted to take his life.
The incident happened around 12.30 a.m. when the traffic police was alerted by Navi Mumbai Commissioner Sanjay Kumar about Mr. Blah going towards the Vashi bridge to allegedly commit suicide.
Mr. Kumar was alerted by Mumbai Joint Commissioner, Law and Order, Deven Bharati. Mr. Blah had sent a suicide note to a media house, which alerted Mr. Bharati. Mr. Blah was recently asked to step down from his role in the firm after some women accused him of sexual harassment in the #Metoo campaign.
“We had information about an individual coming towards the Vashi bridge to commit suicide. We couldn’t take chance and we laid a trap there in dark. Around 12.15 a.m., we a man walking on the bridge after paying a Uber taxi,” a police officer said. Mr. Blah was seen climbing on the railings of the bridge when the police caught hold of him and made him climb down.
“He was crying. He seemed very frustrated and depressed. We took him to the police chowky, offered him water and asked his problem to which he said that he was frustrated with the #Metoo allegations on him. He was depressed due to the defamation he and his family faced. He along with nine other partners had founded KWAN and after four girls alleged him of harassment in the #Metoo campaign, he was asked to resign,” a police officer said.
His wife was informed by the traffic police and he was handed over to Vashi Police.
(Suicide prevention helplines — Mumbai-based NGO AASRA ’s 24x7 number: 91-22-27546669 ; Maharashtra State’s round-the-clock toll-free number: 104 )
