Mumbai Police is known for its swift and efficient manner of tracking down culprits within a short time. The city sleuths have proven their capability with the high number of solved and detected cases under their belt. An example of their alertness and swift action helped saved the life of a chef who was contemplating suicide.
According to the police, the 27-year-old chef had posted a message on Facebook on August 7 about his intention to commit suicide. The Facebook office at Ireland contacted the Delhi Police Cyber Cell, as the account holder is a resident of Delhi, and informed them about the suicidal post. The Facebook officials provided the police with the user’s information and a phone number linked to the account.
The Delhi Police found that the number belongs to a woman whose husband was using the particular Facebook account that was flagged as a would-be suicide victim. The woman informed the cops that her husband left home 14 days ago after a heated argument and that he is working as a chef at a hotel in Mumbai. Since she did not know her husband’s latest residence address, she shared his contact number so that the police could reach out to him.
The Delhi Police coordinated with Mumbai Deputy Commissioner of Police (Cyber Cell), Rashmi Karandikar, who immediately swung into action. The DCP formed a team of police officers led by the Senior Inspector of the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC) Cyber Police Station. They set the ball rolling and starting tracing down the person.
“Initially, the number provided to us was switched-off due to which it was difficult to locate the said person. One of our officers found the number active on WhatsApp. The officer then contacted him under the pretext of some official work,” said an officer attached to the Cyber Cell.
Meanwhile, the police officer was successful in tracing his location and reached the spot within an hour. “One officer kept him busy on the call while the other team moved in swiftly to reach his residence. We kept him busy on the call to avoid any unfortunate incident,” the Cyber Crime officer added.
At around midnight, the police team reached the man’s rented house in Navghar area of Thane Rural and counselled him. “The person said that he was in a lot of stress due to the current situation. He had also lost his job, and while he was preparing to return to Mumbai, he had a terrible row with his wife. The unfortunate events that were happening around – the pandemic, job loss and fight with his wife, took his stress level to dangerous levels. He became very depressed,” said an officer from the BKC Cyber Cell. “We checked the Facebook video post where he mentioned that he was going to commit suicide and deleted it,” the officer added. The cops then informed his family about his location. The man was counselled and given the much-needed help at his time of crisis.
This is not the first time the Mumbai Police have rescued people from such perilous situations. Last year, on June 17, the City Police saved the life of a 26-year-old film editor who had posted a message on Facebook about his intention to commit suicide. In less than four hours, the police tracked him down to Andheri Railway Station and took him home.
The editor had posted a message in Marathi saying that he was going far away from everyone, forever. He also posted an apology to his parents. When his friends read the post, they started messaging him and made every effort to prevent him from taking the drastic step. They informed his father about it and sought police help.
Nagpur City Police Control Room
The Nagpur City Police Control Room, which is manned by around 20 women cops round the clock, has so far received 18,922 calls related to COVID-19 since the lockdown was announced on March 22. It is the second-highest after Mumbai. Every day, the Control Room receives around 2,200 to 2,500 calls. Though most of the calls in the past pertained to crime and law and order, the latest are unquestionably corona-related.
The Maharashtra Police has launched several helpline numbers where one can contact if they are going through a stressful situation. “Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry or nervous. Sharing the problem with someone can reduce it to a certain amount. One can call any of the police helpline numbers when they are feeling low or stressed out,” said the Mumbai Police PRO.
Stress Management Tips
People may find the following lifestyle measures helpful to manage or prevent stress-induced feelings of being overwhelmed.
Exercise: Regular participation in aerobic exercise has been shown to decrease overall levels of tension, elevate and stabilize mood, improve sleep, and improve self-esteem. Even five minutes of aerobic exercise can stimulate anti-anxiety effects.
Reducing alcohol, drugs and caffeine intake: These substances will not help prevent stress, but can make it worse. It is, therefore, necessary to reduce dependency on them.
Nutrition: A healthy, balanced diet containing plenty of fruits and vegetables can help maintain the immune system during a stressful period. A poor diet can lead to ill-health and additional stress.
Priority Management: It may help to spend a little time organizing a daily to-do list and focusing on urgent or time-sensitive tasks. People can then focus on what they have completed or accomplished for the day, rather than on the tasks they have yet to complete.
Time: Set aside some time to organize schedules and pursue activities that pique your interest and imagination.
Breathing and Relaxation: Meditation, massage and yoga can help. Breathing and relaxation techniques can slow down the heart rate and promote relaxation. Deep breathing is also a central part of mindfulness meditation.
Talking: Sharing feelings and concerns with family, friends and work colleagues may help let off steam and reduce feelings of isolation. Other people may be able to suggest unexpected, workable solutions to the stressor.
Acknowledging the Signs: One can be so anxious about the problem causing the stress that they do not notice the effects it has on their body. It is important to be mindful of any changes.
Noticing signs and symptoms is the first step to taking action. People who experience work stress due to long hours may need to take a step back. It may be time for them to review their working practices or talk to a supervisor about finding ways to reduce the load.
Most people have an activity that helps them relax, such as reading a book, going for a walk, join a gym, listening to music, or spending time with a friend, loved one, or pet.
Mohit Naik
