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Panic ensues as woman swings from coconut tree
PHOTO: DENYS NEVOZHAI
FATRA NEWS DESK
In a rare sighting, a woman was found swinging from a coconut tree by clutching onto one of its leaves in Dhaka’s Elephant Road area on Saturday morning, creating severe panic among residents of the capital.
The incident caught on tape took social media by storm, eliciting mixed reactions from netizens.
In the video, verified by Fatra News 1, the woman is seen hanging by a leaf from a coconut tree and swinging back and forth while locals, fire service members and law enforcement personnel alike were seen trying to rescue her.
A giant trampoline was set up at the base of the coconut tree, in case the woman tried to jump or lost control of her grip.
Later, firemen using a ladder of a fire engine reached the leaf and lured her to climb down, using a bowl of stir-fried noodles.
Some netizens likened the woman to being “possessed by a jinn” while some claimed that she was just having “healthy fun”.
The incident piqued the interest of social media warriors across the country who have since been vocal online about the need for early diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues and illnesses.
The woman, later identified as (name redacted), 27, has been diagnosed with early onset dementia and was admitted to Elizabeth Arkham Asylum.
A graduate of University of Conservative Science, she was working as a journalist.
Madhusudan, a witness to the incident, told Fatra News 1, “We were really scared for her. She was just holding onto a leaf and hanging from the tree. Later, when we took a closer look, her eyes seemed open, and she was grinning from ear to ear.”
Another witness, Michael, said, “People were worried sick about her. What if she fell and turned into a scrambled egg? What values is she passing on to our future generation? How is this ethical and how is this professional?”
Firefighter Mike Ali, who rescued the victim, said, “This is just another day for us. There is nothing wrong with her and people should realise that and leave her alone.”
Asked about using a bowl of noodles as bait, he replied that for children they usually have to use chocolates but adults operate differently. “We try to use fish as bait for cats, but humans are different creatures. Every human being has their own personality.”
When Fatra News 1 reached out for comments, the Arkham Asylum initially did not allow one of its patients to be interviewed.
However, in a letter correspondence, the victim told this correspondent that she simply gave into her intrusive thoughts and it was rather natural for someone to do what she did.
Some netizens likened the woman to being “possessed by a jinn” while some claimed that she was just having “healthy fun”.