Thane civic staff and cops save elderly couple from committing suicide

Thane: Acting swiftly, the Thane Municipal Corporation's emergency response team and local police have saved the lives of an elderly couple who attempted suicide here, an official said on Thursday.

The Kasarwadavli police in Maharashtra's Thane city received information on Wednesday night from the couple's nephew about their intention to hang themselves from the ceiling of their home, located on the seventh floor of a building in Waghbil area off Ghodbunder Road.

The police then promptly alerted the Thane Municipal Corporation's disaster management cell at around 11 pm, its chief Yasin Tadvi said.

The 70 year-old man and his wife, aged 65, had apparently been struggling with recurring health issues and hence decided to end their lives together, he said.

They had sent an SMS to their nephew, informing him of their plan following which he alerted the police.

Within minutes of receiving the alert, the fire brigade and disaster cell personnel of the TMC and police reached the couple's apartment, but found it locked from inside.

The rescue personnel then accessed the apartment through an adjacent flat by entering via the window, the official said.

They prevented the couple from taking the extreme step and rescued them in 10 minutes, he said.

The rescue team and police then counselled the couple and convinced them to desist from any further attempts to harm themselves, the official said.