In a tragic incident, a 14-year-old girl jumped to her death from the eighth floor of a residential building in north Mumbai on June 28. Though what's more shocking is that the entire incident was captured on camera by the teenager's neighbour in Gardenia Cooperative Housing Society of Kandivali's Thakur village.
The Thursday evening incident caught on camera was then shared on social media by the man.
In the 45-second-long video, the girl, a class 9 student is seen standing on the parapet of a window on the eight floor. The teenager is seen balancing herself, before sitting down on the parapet. She waits for a few seconds before taking the deadly leap.
Twitter aghast at the neighbour for recording and circulating video
Ever since then, the people who recorded the video is being slammed for capturing the incident but not rushing out to help the child. It can be noted that the people, who were on the opposite side of the building a short distance away, can be heard asking onlookers to rescue her and trying to deter the girl from taking the extreme step.
Though that does not change that fact that the man who recorded the video thought it was okay to share it on social media.
Many on Twitter have condemned the man behind the camera, who not only captured the suicide but also circulated it on social media.
"#mumbaisuicide anguished at how someone can be so insensitive to send the video of young girl committing suicide. Social media has really dulled our senses. (sic)," said a Twitter user.
"Saw the video of suicide of a 9th std girl..shocked..people were taking videos but none could go and saved that girl..RIP #tooearly #mumbaisuicide #helpdepression #mentalhealth #school (sic)," tweeted another.
The man who recorded the video said that his friends ran out to help her. Here's what he said about the incident, as quoted by Free Press Journal.
There were three of us in the room when the girl leapt to death from the building opposite ours. We could not see her hitting the floor. I had turned my face away from the mobile screen after she jumped from the refuge area and my two friends ran out of the house. Since the video recorder was on, so it captured her hitting the floor.
Expert's opinion
According to a renowned psychiatrist, Dr Sagar Mundada, people who record such videos feel that it is an 'achievement' if they have captured a crisis situation on camera. The expert added that such people take a vicarious pleasure in circulating it on social media, reported the Free Press Journal.
"It is easier to switch on a mobile camera, shoot the video and circulate it, instead of helping and saving lives," added Dr Mundada.
Meanwhile, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Deven Bharti has requested social media users to not circulate the disturbing clip, said Deccan Herald.
The cops are currently investigating the case. Here's what an official had to say, as quoted by PTI.
The motive behind the suicide is yet to be ascertained and we are making inquiring with her relatives and friends in this connection. We will also examine her mobile phone and other gadgets.
