337 plunge to death in city lakes in four years

Times of India‎: Nagpur: Wednesday, October 05, 2016.

While there is a constant demand for rejuvenation and maintenance of lakes, these water bodies seem to have become a favourite spot for citizens to end their lives. In the last four and half years, about 337 committed suicide by taking a plunge in these lakes, as per the RTI query by activist Abhay Kolarkar.

Shukrawari lake in old Mahal area seems to be the favourite spot for those who seek to commit suicide. As many as 210 persons ended their lives in this Bhonsale-era lake. It was distantly followed by 63 deaths recorded in Ambazari and 41 in popular Futala lake, as per the reply submitted by assistant police commissioner (crime) RC Patil. Kolarkar had sought information under RTI on city’s crime rate and number of suicides recorded in the city since 2012.

Ironically, the RTI reply reveals that not a single suicide attempt was foiled at any of these lakes in all these years. According to Kolarkar, the civic bodies and state administration failed to do anything like deployment of rescue teams and water boats or making provision for surveillance by CCTV cameras at such sensitive places. “The figures on suicidal deaths were coupled with the city’s crime rate numbers which has seen crime detection increase in most cases,” he said.

“Patrolling is always undertaken at such public lakes during day hours, however most of these cases happen late in the night, or during early morning when the police force can’t possibly deploy its personnel on permanent duty. And how is the police going to change a person’s decision or stop his individual act?” said former city police chief, Prabir Chakraborty.

Psychologist Anupama Gadkari said that the police’s helplessness in this matter could be understood as taking one’s life was a personal decision which was often taken without informing anyone and seeking any counsel. “Persons having suicidal tendencies are under tremendous mental, emotional or even financial stress. If that can be reduced, most of the problems are tackled away,” she added.