Police prevents suicide after woman in Delhi e-mails Boris Johnson for help

A woman living in Delhi, India sent an electronic mail to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson asking for help on Wednesday, August 26. In the e-mail, the woman claimed that she would be taking her own life if there was no intervention within two hours. Johnson's office informed Indian authorities of the distressing message. The police in Delhi swept the neighbourhood the woman was believed to be living in and found her within two hours. The woman has been receiving psychiatric help since the incident.

According to an e-mail sent around 11 pm local time, a woman who was struggling with her mental health stated that she would kill herself in two hours if help did not arrive. Taking the matter seriously, the Prime Minister's office contacted the Indian High Commission in London. This led to the information being passed onto the Ministry of External Affairs in India's capital, Delhi.

The ministry notified the Delhi police urging "immediate intervention." The police kept calling the phone number which was mentioned in the e-mail, but the calls went unanswered. A team reached Sector 21 in Rohini, North-west Delhi which was determined to be the woman's neighbourhood. At the end of a swift door-to-door search, the police were able to locate her.

According to the Hindustan Times, the 42-year-old woman had been living alone in squalid conditions with 16-18 cats. Rohini's deputy commissioner of police, Pramod Kumar Mishra, revealed that the woman had been suffering from poor mental health due to the burden of loans and possibly due to the failure of her marriage.

An officer revealed that the woman refused to open the door when the police arrived. The fire department was contacted but before the rescue team forced entry,she eventually opened the door. She tried to assure the police she was fine. However, the condition of the home and the woman was too alarming for the police to leave. A few officers stayed with the woman until mental health professionals arrived.

The woman used to teach at a government school but was forced to leave her job. She also failed to cope with her divorce which happened almost a decade ago. Two psychologists and a doctor examined her. Her home was cleaned and she continues to live there. Once a week she will receive counselling. If required, she will be transferred to the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences.

The police are waiting to question the woman to find out how she got Johnson's e-mail address.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts about suicide, the Samaritans provide a free support service for those who need to talk to someone in the UK and Republic of Ireland. Visit Samaritans.org or call 116 123 (UK) or 116 123 (ROI), 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Visit this website to find a support phone number in your country.