Nagpur: On Saturday evening, a vigilant Times of India journalist, Sarfaraz Ahmed, was able to prevent a man from committing suicide by jumping from the Mankapur Bridge in Nagpur. The story got a happy ending when the cops were able to convince the man’s wife to return and live with him again, solving a major problem that had prompted the man to attempt suicide.
The man, 32-year-old Suraj Kukade, was depressed over his wife leaving home due to financial problems and his daughter’s ill health. Kukade, who had consumed liquor for the first time, was contemplating suicide by jumping from the bridge.
Kukade, an arts graduate and competitive powerlifter, had shifted to Nagpur with his family eight months ago to try and earn a living but had been struggling to find work. He had shared his problems with some local guards before walking up to the bridge.
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Ahmed, who was returning home on his bike, spotted Kukade trying to climb the parapet wall of the bridge. Sensing something amiss, Ahmed decided to intervene and engaged Kukade in small talk to distract him. Another passerby also joined in and grabbed Kukade to prevent him from jumping.
After being taken to the police station, Kukade was counselled by the police, especially Mankapur Police Station Senior Inspector Shubhangi Wankhede. Kukade’s troubled mind settled down, and he repaired some computers and laptops at the police station. His wife and father-in-law were also summoned and counselled, and his wife agreed to return and live with him again.
Wankhede praised Ahmed’s alertness and said that the journalist played his role and responsibility well. She added that the police and media should join hands and work this way for society. The incident is a reminder of the importance of being vigilant and the power of timely intervention in preventing suicides.
