A suicide attempt by a man at Mecca's Grand Mosque was thwarted, thanks to timely action by a security officer.
A viral video showed a man jumping from one of upper floors of Masjid al-Haram in Saudi Arabia. A security officer came forwards, breaking the fall of the man. However, the officer was injured while trying to stop the man from hitting the floor. The officer reportedly suffered fractures.
The Haram security forces revealed that both of them were immediately given necessary medical care. Authorities revealed that legal procedures are being carried out as per regulations.
Following the shocking incident, Sheikh Dr Abdur Rahman As Sudais, the Chief Imam of the Grand Mosque, appealed to visitors to follow instructions and regulations. "...To rever the sanctity of the place, to observe proper Islamic manners therein and to devote themselves to worship and obedience."
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In April 2024, another man tried to kill himself by throwing himself into the courtyard of the Grand Mosque. He sustained injuries and was rushed to hospital immediately.
In 2018, three similar incidents were reported within the mosque premises. In one case, Hussain Hameed al Haidari, an Iraqi pilgrim, jumped to death from the elevated Kaaba circumabulation area.
A Bangladeshi man threw himself from the first floor into the Kaaba circumambulation area. He killed himself while landing on a Sudanese man, who was also injured.
In June of the same year, a man from France leapt off the mosque roof and died in hospital later.
In 2017, a suicide was reported after a man jumped from an upper floor near the Kaaba while pilgrims were performing tawaf prayers. The same year, a man from Saudi Arabia tried to set himself ablaze on the mosque compound but was rescued by the security forces.