‘Bye-bye, papa’: 21-year-old woman allegedly jumps into Chenab River after phone call with father

A 21-year-old woman, identified as Payal Devi, allegedly jumped into the Chenab River in Doda district on Saturday afternoon after speaking with her father over the phone. During the call, she reportedly told him, “This is my own life,” before saying, “Bye-bye, papa.” A joint rescue operation involving police, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF) and local volunteers was launched soon after, but no trace of her had been found by the time of reporting. The incident reportedly occurred around 2 pm near the Shiva Dal bridge close to Prem Nagar.

Note if you or someone you know is struggling with distress, depression, or suicidal thoughts, please seek help immediately. You can call the 24/7 National Mental Health Helpline, Tele-MANAS (Government of India), at 14416 or 1800-891-4416 for multilingual support.

What happened before the incident

According to Devi’s father, Krishan Lal, his daughter had gone to a mela earlier in the day. She later called him and said she was feeling unwell and wanted to consult a doctor. When the doctor was reportedly unavailable, she began making her way back and apparently got onto a motorcycle at some point.


Lal said he subsequently received a call from a person accompanying his daughter, who told him that Devi had run towards the river.

Lal then spoke to Devi directly over the phone and repeatedly asked what had happened and whether someone had upset or harmed her.

According to Lal, Devi told him, “Nobody should come near me.” When he pressed her for an explanation, she reportedly replied, “No, papa. This is my own life. My heart tells me that I should go this way.”

She then ended the conversation by saying, “Bye-bye, papa.”

Video of the incident circulates online

The moments before the reported jump were allegedly captured on video by passersby at the bridge. The footage appears to show people attempting to dissuade Devi from jumping before she reportedly entered the Chenab River.

The video later circulated widely on social media, drawing attention to the incident and the attempts by people at the scene to intervene.

Rescue operation launched

Following the reported jump from the Shiva Dal bridge, police, SDRF personnel and local volunteers began searching the Chenab River.

Rescue teams conducted a search of the river and surrounding areas, but officials said no immediate trace of Devi had been found.

Circumstances remain unclear

The circumstances that allegedly led Devi to the bridge remain unclear. Her father’s account indicates that she had initially complained of feeling unwell and intended to see a doctor. What happened between that conversation and her reported arrival at the bridge has not yet been established.

Authorities are continuing the search and investigation as they work to establish the sequence of events leading up to the incident.