Guwahati: The Delhi police has sought the help of the federal ministry responsible for northeastern India to open a counseling center for the youth from the region living in the national capital.
The move comes in the wake of at least 18 suicides and more than 10 such attempts since January by youths from northeastern India staying in Delhi.
The Delhi police’s special unit for northeastern India, constituted in February in 2014 to check hate crime against people from the region, has come across several cases of suicides by youths, mostly students and professionals, from the region.
The police unit want the Department of Northeast ministry to open a distress-counseling centre in the national capital.
Robin Hibu, nodal officer of the special unit, told telegraphindia.com that they have received suicide cases of people who have appeared for government jobs, call center workers, students, domestic help and business persons.
“Most of them came from very good family background. The situation is becoming very disturbing, so I have requested the DoNER ministry to set up a 24×7 distress-counseling centre at the proposed new building of our unit,” Hibu added.
He said his department received three suicide cases in the second week of October.
“It is distressing to see young boys and girls from our region taking such extreme steps,” Hibu, an inspector-general of Delhi police who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, said.
Investigations by the unit found failed love affairs, frustration rooted in career and studies, alcoholism, drug abuse, financial anxiety and problems in adjusting to city life to be the cause behind such extreme steps.
“All that these young boys and girls require is a centre which they can visit without any hesitation and fear. I have requested the DoNER ministry to provide professional counsellors at the centre,” Hibu said.
He said he had helped the family members of many suicide victims to expedite police report, post-mortem and in sending the bodies back to their homes in the Northeast. “It is a wake-up call for parents, community leaders, NGOs and governments in the Northeast states to join hands and take measures to prevent such unfortunate incidents. These young boys and girls have a bright future and a little help can prevent them from taking such extreme step,” Hibu said.
The latest incident of suicide by a hotel management student from Nagaland was reported to the special unit on October 18. The youth, identified as Yatiba Aier, had hanged himself in his rented flat in New Delhi. He hailed from Mopungchuket village in Mokokchung district.
The special unit has so far received over 1,000 complaints through phone calls, SMS and WhatsApp (09810083486) about problems faced by people from the region living in Delhi/NCR. Most of the cases relate to rape, attempt to rape, molestation/attempt to molestation, attacks, robbery and eve-teasing, among others. The unit also has two helpline numbers: 1093/100.