A 25-year-old man sustained dire injuries after attempting to end his life by jumping from the Juja Overpass onto the busy Thika Superhighway on Tuesday evening.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Juja Officer Commanding Police Division (OCPD) Phyllis Kanina confirmed that the man accessed the overpass at around 11:00 pm while several activities still taking place in the vicinity.
Minutes later, he stood on the guard rails and jumped from the overpass onto the busy highway.
The incident caught the nearby onlookers by surprise as they couldn't believe that he was attempting suicide.
Boda boda riders who were in the vicinity rushed to the scene and pulled him to the roadside to rescue him from oncoming vehicles.
Thereafter, they contacted the Officer Commanding Station and OCPD Kanina, who dispatched a team to the scene.
Police officers swept and documented the scene as they initiated investigations to establish the motive of the attempted suicide.
Preliminary investigations, according to OCPD Kanina, revealed that the man, who lived alone, owned a hotel, which was recently shut down due to unknown reasons.
"It appears he was going through financial difficulties," Kanina stated.
She also confirmed that the young man was transferred to a hospital in Thika, where he is currently receiving medical treatment.
The incident brings to light the mental challenges that the youth face as they grapple with the tough economic environment.
According to the latest data from the World Bank, the suicide rate among men has tripled that of women in the past two decades.
This is mainly attributed to stress, depression, bereavement, broken relationships, loneliness, frustration with economic difficulties and mental illness.
Counsellors, medics, and psychologists highly recommend seeking help whenever you experience any mental health issues. Call the Kenya Red Cross toll-free hotline, 1199, for support.
