Cops, cab driver prevents woman from jumping off Atal Setu in Mumbai; Video goes viral

Published on Authored by The Free Press Journal

In an incident of ‘suspected’ suicide attempt on Atal Setu bridge, a 56-year-old woman was saved by a cab driver and traffic staff of Nhava Sheva unit in Mumbai. The lady identified as Reema Patel, had hired a cab from Mulund.

Quick thinking by the cab driver and fast action by the cops saved the woman's life. Photo courtesy: Free Press Journal
Quick thinking by the cab driver and fast action by the cops saved the woman’s life. Photo courtesy: Free Press Journal

In the CCTV footage of the Mumbai Trans- Harbour link (MTHL) also known as Atal Setu bridge, the cab driver is seen holding onto the hair of the lady and at the same time, traffic staff climb on the railing and pull the woman to safety.

“Our patrolling van was patrolling on the same road when they noticed the parked car. Also, the toll booth staff from Shelar toll naka had alerted the police team after they noticed a car halted on the bridge and a lady was on the railing,” police inspector Gulfaroz Mujawar from Nhava Sheva traffic unit said.

The team comprising of police constables Lalit Amarshet, Kiran Mhatre, Yash Sonawane had climbed over the railing and caught hold of the women who was initially held by cab driver Sanjay Dwarka Yadav (31). In the statement that she gave to Nhava Sheva police, she claimed that she was immersing the photos of gods as a part of some ritual.

“She claimed that she had first gone to Airoli bridge but her spiritual guru told that the water needs to be deeper and hence she went to Atal Setu bridge from Mumbai side and climbed the railing and was throwing the photos one by one. She was carrying few of them with her,” senior police inspector Anjum Bagwan from Nhava Sheva police station said.

She further claimed that as she was throwing, she heard the sound of the traffic police’s Jeep and lost her balance and fell. “The cab driver had been suspicious and hence he was standing near her when she was throwing the photos and could grab her by hair when she fell and further the traffic team rescued her,” Bagwan added.

According to the police, a relative of Patel told them that she had been mentally disturbed for some time since she was childless. Her husband, who was in Pune at the time of the incident, was informed by the police.

(The article is published under a mutual content partnership arrangement between The Free Press Journal and Connected to India)