On Monday afternoon, 15th January 2024, a Taiwanese citizen made a suicide attempt on the Pergung bridge in the Jembrana Regency. The incident happened around 3 PM local time when the local citizens reported the incident to the local police.
Upon receiving the information, the Mendoyo police promptly arrived at the scene and brought the Taiwanese individual to the police station. The initial sequence of events leading to the suicide attempt unfolded as the man and his wife were travelling from Semarang to Denpasar.
Subsequently, during their journey to the Denpasar area, a dispute arose between the husband and wife due to the husband’s feelings of jealousy. Consequently, the wife, who was driving at the time, was compelled to drop off her husband in the vicinity of the Pergung Bridge, where he attempted suicide.
The police intervened and facilitated a mediation process between the couple. Sumardi, an officer from the Mendoyo police, reported, “After approaching and mediating with the husband and wife, we successfully calmed them down, and by approximately 5 PM local time, they returned to Denpasar together.”
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In a video shared by the @detik_bali account, several residents can be seen attempting to prevent the suicide. The rescue of the Taiwanese citizen was marked by intense and dramatic moments, fortunately, the attempt was thwarted.
At that time, many residents hesitated to approach and opted not to capture the tense incident on their smartphones.
Official data from the Chair of the Denpasar branch of the Association of Indonesian Psychiatric Specialists indicates a rise in suicide attempts in Bali throughout 2023. The total number of suicide cases in 2023 reached 124, marking an increase in the last nine months.
Presently, there is a dedicated service known as BISA Helpline, available 24 hours, aimed at preventing the increasing number of suicide attempts. It is crucial to remain vigilant and responsive, noticing any signs of a potential suicide attempt, and providing assistance when needed.
