Police helpline to help avert suicides

MYSORE: Concerned about the recent student suicides in Mysore, city police are planning to educate students by organizing mentoring programmes in educational institutions and creating awareness about a police helpline which has been lending a helping hand to people in distress for a decade.
With three girl students committing suicide – Divyavani (19) of Andhra Pradesh, Jyothi Singh (20) of Uttar Pradesh, both students of Regional Institute of Education (NCERT) and Jyothi Prabha (20) of Kodagu, a commerce student of JSS Women’s College, in 12 days, authorities are a worried lot, not to mention parents of college students.
City police commissioner Sunil Agarwal told TOI “It’s disturbing that youngsters, especially college students are taking such extreme steps because of academic, family issues. It seems they require proper counselling and college authorities need to take extra care to prevent such incidents. We, therefore, have intended to create awareness with the assistance of the departments concerned and medical experts in city colleges. We will start with RIE.”
The police helpline was established after a 19-year-old girl student from the city ended her life in 2000. The then police commissioner Chandrashekar felt that the tragedy could have been averted if someone was there to speak to her and share her pain. The helpline came into existence with a view to help people in distress and solve their problems.
The helpline has provided solace to many callers in the last 10 years. About 20,000 people have turned to the helpline for support over the last decade. Helpline volunteers have succeeded in bringing solace to about 70 percent of the people seeking help.
Volunteers are available between 10 am and 8 pm from Monday to Saturday and 10 am to 2 pm on Sunday. They work in three time slots of three hours each and deal with cases like physiological problems, marital discord, domestic violence, relationship issues, financial difficulties leading to breakdown of families, workplace harassment, senior citizens’ issues, legal problems, academic issues, alcoholism, suicidal tendencies etc.
The helpline office (CCB office building) on Ashoka Road is open round the clock and three police constables have been deputed to attend to grievances. The helpline number is 105 or 2418400.