COMMUNITY efforts are being stepped up to tackle possible cases of depression leading to suicide among expatriates financially impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Six expat men have died in Bahrain in less than a week, of which four are believed to have committed suicide. Of the remaining two, one died from a heart attack and the other’s death, according to police, indicated ‘criminal suspicion’.
Indians Sreejith Thekkayil, 35, Sunil Kumar, 39, Parminder Singh, 24 and Pakistan national Muhammed Wakeel, 27 were found hanging from ceiling fans in their residences between March 17 and 21.
According to Indian Community Relief Fund (ICRF) chairman Dr Babu Ramachandran, the incidents could be the outcome of the ‘ripple effect’ of the pandemic.
“While we are getting back to normal life, we are also realising that the process is not that easy, especially with the setbacks on businesses,” he told the GDN.
“There are many expats, especially those who invested in small businesses and those who lost their jobs, who are struggling to bounce back or recover their losses.
“There are many with debts who are unable to repay and they must have ended their lives in a moment of desperation, it’s a tragedy.
“We have been organising awareness drives to tackle suicides over the last few years, but we need to intensify our campaigns further and reach out to more people now.”
Dr Ramachandran also heads the ICRF’s Listen, Involve, Foster, Engage (LIFE) initiative, which aims to identify and provide counselling to high-risk cases, under which suicide helplines were introduced last year.
“The ICRF has been operating two suicide helplines 38415171/35990990,” he said.
“While we are doing our best, I also request members of the public to watch out and be ready to listen, as you might be saving one life. Also, do not invest beyond your means.”
Mr Thekkayil, a flexi permit holder, was found hanging in his room in Umm Al Hassam by his roommate. “He was working in a restaurant which closed down in January,” said a friend who requested anonymity.
“Then he tried to start a business which failed. He was in debt and that could be the reason for his suicide.”
The man from Perambra, Kerala was the sole breadwinner of his family, which includes his parents, wife and a five-year-old daughter. His body was flown back to Kozhikode on Tuesday.
Mr Singh was working as a supervisor in a construction company and was described by his cousin, Harvinder, as a happy man. Harvinder had arrived in Bahrain last month and the cousins were working for the same company and staying in an accommodation in Suq Waqif, Hamad Town.
“I am shocked beyond belief, we had dinner together the night before he died and he seemed happy. He went to bed at around 10pm and as I was walking to the washroom the next morning, at around 4.30am, I saw him hanging from a fan.”
Mr Singh was not married and is survived by his parents and siblings in Ludhiana, Punjab.
Mr Kumar, who was employed as pipe fitter with a contracting company, was found dead in his residence in Hajiyat, Riffa at around 7am while Mr Wakeel was found hanging in his room in Asker on March 18.
Meanwhile, body of Indian Narasiah Akula, 61, from Andhra Pradesh was found in his room on the roof of a residential building in East Riffa on March 18.
The GDN reported earlier that the Southern Governorate Police Directorate revealed initial findings indicated criminal suspicion.
Indian Banna Ram, 58, a construction company employee died from a heart attack while at Salmaniya Medical Complex.
The GDN reported that around 30 expat suicides were reported in the country in 2019 and 37in 2018.
raji@gdn.com.bh
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