Mumbai: Cop brings down man from 3rd floor with food, patriotic song

Constable Subhada Salaskar (centre, in orange) with the Kasturba police’s Nirbhaya Pathak team. Salaskar spoke to the man through the window of a flat. Pics/Nimesh Dave

From offering parathas to singing patriotic songs, Constable Subhada Salaskar did everything she could to save a mentally ill man standing on a part of the facade of a Borivli East building, on Sunday. The mentally ill man told the constable that he wanted to join the Army. It took Salaskar one and a half hours of patient convincing and the help of the fire brigade to bring the man safely down.

The incident took place at 3 pm in Gopal Bhoomi society located at SV Road, Daulat Nagar, in Borivli East. A part of the building is covered with bamboo scaffolding for repair work. The man used the bamboos to climb up to the third floor level. There, he settled on a portion of the building facade that served as a ledge.

A team of rescuers patiently waits in the compound of the building, holding a sheet in case the man jumped

Salaskar of the Nirbhaya Pathak team of Kasturba police station said, "We received a call and when we reached the spot, we found that a man was standing at the third floor level. I immediately rushed to the house next to which he was standing. I grabbed his hand and asked my team to bring a rope from the police van. The Nirbhaya Pathak team including Assistant Police Inspector Dattaraya Kharade, Head Constable Prakash Jadhav, Woman Head Constable Seema Bhoye and Head Constable Prakash Jadhav helped me."

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"I stood in the window of the house while talking to the man. When I held his hand, the man asked if I am his mother, I responded yes, I am his mother. Later he said he wanted to join the Indian Army to serve the nation. I told him I will admit him to the Indian Army. He also told me to sing patriotic songs. I sang the song ‘Ae Mere Vatan Ke Logon' from the window while holding his hand. Then our tam brought the rope. I told him that I will tie the rope to his waist for his safety. He let me do it. Meanwhile, other officers also called the fire brigade," Salaskar said.

"Later, I offered the man food. He said he wanted to have paratha and chai. The residents of the building helped with that. Senior Inspector Anil Awhad also reached the spot. Due to the traffic, it took some time for the fire brigade to reach the spot. It was difficult to get the man down through the stairs. Finally, after an hour and a half, we got the man down with the help of ladders and the fire officers. We released him after counseling."

3 PM
Time the incident occured