Bangalore fire officer’s helping hand saved a life

Range fire officer (Bangalore North division) TN Shiva Shankar, on Thursday, accomplished something that would be looked upon by his peers and colleagues as a watershed for saving those attempting suicides by trying to jump off high buildings.

The fire officer did what every counsellor does  to save depressed/frustrated people trying to kill themselves—speak and listen to those who are literally on the brink, thus helping them turn around towards life.

On Thursday afternoon, that’s what Shiva Shankar did with Madras Sapper’s K Mutthu, who had scaled a 175-ft-high mobile phone tower near Mukunda theatre in Maruthi Sevanagar, all ready to give up his life by jumping off its highpoint. Mutthu claimed to be frustrated with life as his bosses allegedly harassed him and had not granted him leave from duty.

Shiva Shankar, on receiving information that an Army jawan had scaled a tower to give up his life, rushed to the spot at 10.45 am with a group of firemen from Banaswadi fire station.

After almost three hours of trying to convince Mutthu to come down and speak out his problems, Shiva Shankar decided to climb up himself and talk to the desperate army man into coming down himself.

“He told me his senior officers harassed him and he was not able to get leave. He said he was transferred four times in the last five years. So, I assured him that I will solve all his problems if he came down,” Shiva Shankar told DNA, adding that as Mutthu wanted to speak to the media, he asked a colleague
to pose as a TV journalist just to convince the stricken soldier.

Mutthu showed Shiva Shankar his album even as the latter empathised with the jawan, who subsequently climbed down with his saviour. Mutthu was later taken away by his superiors. But at least, Mutthu knows now that where there is life, there is hope.