Tragic Incident : Woman jumps off newly constructed Atal Setu bridge in Mumbai, search operations underway

In a tragic incident marking the first attempted suicide on the newly constructed Atal Setu bridge in Mumbai, a 43-year-old woman from the Parel area allegedly leaped off the bridge on Monday afternoon. Identified as Kinjal Kantilal Shah, a doctor battling depression for several years, she left a purported suicide note at her home before embarking on her fateful journey to the bridge.

According to the police, Shah hailed a taxi near her residence in Parel and directed the driver to the Atal Setu bridge. Approximately 14.3 kilometers into the journey, she urged the driver to stop, alighting from the vehicle and walking a few steps behind before plunging from the bridge.

Prompted by the driver’s alert, Navi Mumbai police initiated a comprehensive search operation with the assistance of coastal police, local villagers, and rescue teams to locate Shah. Investigations revealed that Shah’s father had filed a missing complaint at the Bhoiwada police station after discovering the suicide note, wherein Shah expressed her intent to end her life at the Atal Setu bridge.

Authorities pieced together Shah’s movements through CCTV footage, confirming her boarding the taxi around 1:30 pm and subsequently jumping from the bridge into the sea at 2:14 pm.

“We are conducting a rescue operation from our side and the Mumbai police is doing it from their side. We have alerted the Vashi, Uran and NRI coastal police, as all these police stations have a creek in their jurisdiction,” said senior police inspector Rajendra Kote from Nhava Sheva police station, adding, “Barricading work was going on but she jumped from the 14-km point on the bridge where the work is yet to be completed. The bridge is 21 km long, and the first 10.4 km, starting from Sewri, are under the jurisdiction of Mumbai police. The rest comes under the Nhava Sheva and Uran police.”

Despite ongoing search efforts, Shah’s whereabouts remain unknown, as she disappeared into the deep waters below.

While the Bhoiwada police registered a missing report, the Nhava Sheva police in Navi Mumbai documented the incident in their records. The grim episode underscores the urgent need for mental health support and intervention, particularly for individuals grappling with depression and suicidal ideation. As search operations persist, authorities continue their efforts to locate Shah and provide necessary assistance in this distressing situation.