Mumbai: Man jumps into sea from Bandra-Worli sea link; search operation launched

Image used for representational purpose. File photo

On Monday morning, a man jumped into the sea from the Bandra Worli Sea Link, triggering an immediate response from the Mumbai Police, Indian Navy, and Coast Guard. As of now, the identity of the person remains unknown.

Eyewitness motorists at the scene revealed that the man had stopped his car on the sea link before abruptly jumping off the bridge. Quick to act, the motorists promptly alerted both the sea link security and the Mumbai Police.

DCP (Zone 3) Akbar Pathan confirmed the incident, stating, "We are currently in the process of identifying the person based on his car. Additionally, a search operation has been launched, involving the Mumbai Police, Indian Navy, and Coast Guard."

The search operation began after the report reached authorities and is still ongoing to locate the individual in question. Authorities are working to ascertain the man's identity and inform his family.

There have been several such incidents reported over the years.

In July 2019, a 25-year-old man allegedly died by suicide by jumping into the sea off Bandra Worli Sea link, Worli. The person was identified as Parth Somani, 25, who was working with a CA firm in Central Mumbai. At around 4.30 pm, a coast guard helicopter arrived at the scene of the incident and the search operation was in progress in the East-West direction. On arrival at the scene of the incident, it was learned from police that the police got the information through CCTV footage where a man was seen jumping off from sea link bridge into seawater.

In another such incident, in October 2017, a 40-year-old man died by suicide by jumping off the Bandra-Worli Sea Link in Mumbai. The Worli Police had registered the case and the body was fished out later. The body was later sent to the Nair Hospital for post-mortem. According to the primary investigation by the police, the man asked the cab driver to stop the cab he was travelling by and immediately jumped off the bridge. A police probe was underway into the case.

In August 2014, a 65-year-old man, suffering from prolonged illness and depression, allegedly died by suicide by jumping into the sea, police said. Lakhchand Rathod, who used to stay with his family at Parel in central Mumbai, jumped into sea from the Bandra-Worli sea link bridge, Senior Inspector, Bandra police Station R C Dhavle said. His body was later fished out by fire brigade officials.