A routine night patrol turned into a life-saving rescue in Nagda after the quick thinking and training of a police officer saved a 20-year-old youth from dying by suicide. The timely intervention has earned statewide recognition and heartfelt gratitude from the victim’s family.
The incident occurred late Monday night within the jurisdiction of Nagda, when police station in-charge Amritlal Gawri was on patrol with only his driver, as the station was short-staffed.
Desperate plea during patrol
As the patrol vehicle passed Peepal Tiraha, a distressed man suddenly ran in front of it and pleaded for help. He told the officer that his son had locked himself inside their house and was about to hang himself.
Inspector Gawri immediately rushed to the row house. Finding the front door locked, he looked through a window and saw the youth’s legs dangling inside, indicating that he had already attempted hanging.
Split-second rescue inside locked house
Without hesitation, the officer broke open the first door and rushed past barking pet dogs to reach the inner room. There, he found the young man hanging from a noose.
“I immediately lifted him and removed the noose,” Gawri later said. Noticing that the youth was in a critical, near-death condition, the inspector applied emergency CPR techniques learned during police training.
‘Golden hour’ response saves life
The CPR proved effective. The youth’s breathing and heartbeat returned, after which he was rushed to a nearby private hospital. Doctors said the timely response during the “golden hour” was crucial in saving his life.
Within a few hours, the young man stabilised and later received counselling. Family members visited the police station both that night and the next morning to express their gratitude, calling the officer’s actions nothing short of lifesaving.
State police honour bravery and sensitivity
When details of the rescue reached police headquarters in Bhopal, Director General of Police Kailash Makwana announced a cash reward of ₹10,000 for Inspector Gawri.
The citation praised him for “promptness, courage, sensitivity and high-level efficiency”.
Senior officers said the incident highlights the importance of training, empathy and alertness in policing, especially in mental health crises where every second can mean the difference between life and death.