Lucknow, Sep 2 (PTI) - A young woman's cry for help on Instagram, marked by a photograph of pesticide tablets and a despairing caption, almost turned into tragedy but for the swift intervention of the police.
The Uttar Pradesh police managed to prevent the suicide attempt of a 20-year-old BA first-year student in just 16 minutes, following an alert triggered by a Meta notification. The rescue is part of a broader initiative, which has seen 1,315 individuals saved in the state since January 2023 through alerts about suicide posts on Facebook and Instagram.
According to the police, the latest incident came to their attention at around 12:45 pm on August 31, when Meta sent an email alert to the state police's social media centre. The alert concerned an Instagram post by the student, highlighting a packet of pesticide accompanied by a suicidal message.
Immediate action was taken, and Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Krishna instructed the department to act swiftly. Thanks to the mobile number provided by Meta, the Bareilly police were able to pinpoint the student's location and dispatched a team to her home in the CB Ganj Police Station area.
Within a mere 16 minutes, Sub-Inspector and women police officers arrived at the student's residence, where she was found vomiting and visibly distressed. She was promptly given first aid, and as her condition stabilized, she recounted her ordeal to the police.
The student revealed her involvement with a man she met on Instagram and described how a dispute led him to block her, plunging her into depression. She also mentioned that the pesticide she ingested had been purchased by her father for their wheat crops.
Since 2022, the Uttar Pradesh Police has maintained a system with Meta to monitor and receive alerts on suicide-related posts from Facebook and Instagram. Between January 1, 2023, and August 25, 2023, police interventions have resulted in saving 1,315 lives, according to their statement.
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