Rescue after suicide attempt over unpaid iPhone EMIs
A 30-year-old dance teacher was rescued from the Yamuna river in southeast Delhi after he allegedly attempted suicide over unpaid iPhone EMIs, according to police.
The incident occurred around 8.30 pm on Friday near Bhola Ghat in the Kalindi Kunj area. Police personnel on patrol were alerted that a man had jumped into the river, and they reached the spot immediately. The Flood Department was informed, and a rescue team arrived by boat. The man, identified as Deepak Kumar, was spotted in the river and brought out safely.
Kumar, who lives in Sanjay Colony in Okhla, works as a dance teacher and also does gardening work. He lives with his wife and two children. During questioning, he told police that his income had declined over the past few months, making it difficult to pay the monthly instalments or EMIs on his iPhone. Police said he was under financial stress, which drove him to take the extreme step.
His wife and brother-in-law were called to the police station, where he was counselled before being allowed to return home. The Times of India reported that the man jumped into the river in southeast Delhi, reportedly after struggling to repay an ongoing EMI, and was rescued in an operation by Delhi Police and Boat Club personnel. He was located and pulled out of the water soon after, and police said he was in a stable condition and provided necessary assistance as well as counselling.
The Times of India reported that the man told officers that his income had been declining over the past few months, which pushed him to attempt to take the extreme step.
The Tribune reported a separate incident in outer Delhi, where a 40-year-old man drowned while bathing in the Yamuna at Hiranki village in Alipur. The police received information about the drowning around 3:14 pm on Friday. A fisherman, Chander Shekhar, reached the spot in a boat and pulled the man, identified as Raman Mukhiya, out of the river. He was taken to hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. A case has been registered.
Expert advice on signs of distress
In the wake of these incidents, RML Hospital professor and psychiatry specialist Dr Lokesh Shekhawat commented on the broader issue of suicidal thoughts among children and young people. He said expensive and branded mobile phones are increasingly becoming a symbol of social status, with people often planning their purchases but facing financial and social pressure when plans go wrong. He advised parents to talk to children about phone benefits and drawbacks rather than imposing an immediate ban, and to involve them in setting a time limit. He also said that persistent anger, irritability, or noticeable changes in behaviour should not be ignored, and the child should be taken to a specialist promptly.
These comments were reported by The Tribune in the context of the EMIs story and the drowning, offering a cautionary note on the pressures associated with such purchases.