The Southeastern Division Police of Bengaluru City, in collaboration with National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), unveil a suicide prevention helpline on Saturday.
Credit: SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Bengaluru: For the first time at a jurisdictional level, the Southeastern Division of the Bengaluru Police has introduced a suicide prevention helpline, which will be operational 24/7.
The helpline number 8277946600, under the name ‘We Care’, will be attended by the women staffers. In case of suicidal tendencies or thoughts about suicide lingering in the mind, people in the Southeastern area can seek help in fighting such thoughts by dialling for help on this newly launched helpline number.
Launched in collaboration with the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans), the Southeastern Division Police of Bengaluru City, about 45 woman police personnel from the Southeastern division have received training from the Nimhans on how to handle calls that come on the helpline and ways to deal with such distressful situations.
The staff will be deputed in the six “Neravu” Kendras–woman outposts– placed strategically in six different locations across the southeast division. All the staff are proficient in speaking three languages – Kannada, English and Hindi.
The helpline number will not only be available for calls but also for Whatsapp and text messages in case if the person is not willing to speak over the call. If the person is in a distressed state or with suicidal tendencies and wants to speak in person, they can visit the nearby Neravu outpost.
In case of necessity, the cops behind the wheels of Hoysala vehicles will attend to the situation in person, said C K Baba, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast Division.
“Since the start of this year till October end, 1,967 death by suicide cases have been reported in the city. The southeast division alone has recorded 245 deaths. In this backdrop of the rising cases, to stop these tragedies, we have come up with this initiative,” Baba said.
Emphasising that the objective of the initiative is to ensure swift and compassionate response to people who are facing stressful situations, Baba said,“The initiative embodies the principle of care, empathy and community collaboration.”
“We are committed to put brakes on these tragedies,” he added.