Rescuers and counsellors tried their best to save suicidal man
BY CRYSTAL CHIAM SHIYING AND ROYCE TAN
High-rise drama: Fireman trying to get Kunasegaran but unfortunately he fell.
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GEORGE TOWN: A security guard fell to his death from the window ledge of an 11th floor apartment unit in Batu Lanchang here despite about four hours of persuasion by rescuers and counsellors.
The rescuers and counsellors tried to coax V. Kunasegaran (pic) back into the unit but to no avail. A fireman tried to grab him but failed to prevent him from falling.
The 59-year-old, a former office messenger with The Star who worked as a security guard after retiring some four years ago, died at the Penang Hospital shortly after the 7.40pm incident yesterday.
George Town OCPD Asst Comm Mior Faridalatrash Wahid said police alerted the Fire and Rescue Department after receiving a report that a man was attempting to jump from the apartment at about 3.45pm.
“We also sent out our counsellors and Befrienders to try to persuade him to give up his suicide attempt.
“He told the counsellors that he faced some problems. He said he had heard a voice asking him to end his own life for the last three to four months,” ACP Mior said.
He said a suicide note was found in the apartment unit where Kunasegaran fell from.
He said the police had contacted Kunasegaran’s daughter in Kuala Lumpur when they learnt of his attempt.
“We talked to him for almost four hours but he did not change his mind and Fire and Rescue Department personnel tried to grab him from the ledge around 7.30pm.
“The rescuers tried to reach him from his neighbour’s unit and from the upper floor.
“Unfortunately, he still fell from the 11th floor to a roof on the first floor,” he said.
The case has been classified as sudden death.
A former colleague said he received a phone call from another friend of theirs at about 5pm, telling him about Kunasegaran’s attempted suicide.
“I rushed to the scene and went into his house and tried to talk him out of it. But it was of no use,” he said.
Kunasegaran’s younger brother Shetdupathy, 58, said Kunasegaran, who is divorced, did not have any financial or relationship problems.
He leaves behind a daughter and a grandson.
Those with problems are advised to contact the Befrienders at 04-281 5161 (Penang), 05-547 7933 (Ipoh) or 03-7956 8144 (Klang Valley).
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