MEERUT: A 25-year-old man’s life was saved after Meerut Police acted within eight minutes on a suicide alert issued by Meta following an Instagram post, officials said.
The incident occurred under a coordination system between the Uttar Pradesh Police and Meta, which flags potential self-harm content on social media and shares alerts with authorities.
According to police, the man, a resident of the Sardhana area in Meerut, had posted a video on Instagram on June 7 showing him appearing to consume a white-coloured liquid. The post carried the message: “Ab tum khush rehna apni life mein (Now you stay happy in your life).”
Meta alerted the Social Media Centre at Police Headquarters at 6.53 pm. Acting on instructions from the Director General of Police, the centre immediately shared the details, including the mobile number and location, with Meerut Police.
Under the supervision of the Senior Superintendent of Police, a police team from Sardhana reached the man’s home and found him in a critical condition. A bottle containing a suspected liquid substance was also recovered nearby.
With the help of family members, police rushed him to hospital, where his condition later stabilised after treatment.
During questioning, he said he had been under stress and depression following the end of a relationship, which led him to take the step.
Police said counselling was provided to him and his family, along with necessary support and guidance.
The Uttar Pradesh Police said that under its coordination mechanism with Meta, operational since 2022, alerts related to suicide-risk content on Facebook and Instagram have helped save 3,011 lives in the state between January 2023 and May 2026.
(With inputs from PTI)
