A 40-year-old man on the verge of jumping off a bridge in Kolkata was persuaded to change his mind by police personnel who promised him a job and offered a biryani packet.

The tense situation unfolded around 2:30 pm on Monday when the man, grappling with financial difficulties and emotional distress following his recent separation from his wife, suddenly stopped his two-wheeler near a busy bridge in the city. He informed his elder daughter, who was accompanying him to Science City, that he had lost his mobile phone somewhere on the road.

Concerned onlookers immediately alerted the police, leading to a swift response from the Kolkata Police Disaster Management Group (DMG) and the fire department. The incident caused a significant disruption to traffic on one of the city’s busiest streets for nearly half an hour.

Upon reaching the scene, the police engaged in a heartfelt conversation with the distressed man, seeking to understand the root of his troubles and offering emotional support. Learning about his recent separation and business losses, the officers crafted a strategy to de-escalate the situation and provide him with a sense of hope.

The police personnel managed to persuade the man to abandon his suicide attempt by promising assistance in securing a job and offering him a biryani packet.   “We spoke to his daughter to understand the problem and accordingly planned the conversation to convince and bring him down. And finally, after we made the offers, he agreed to come down,” stated the police.