Man climbs mobile tower in Kota, threatens suicide over tractor-trolley seizure

Kota, Rajasthan: Days after two men perched on a water tank in Jaipur for two days demanding cancellation of an SI recruitment exam, a 26-year-old man created a stir on Sunday after he climbed atop a mobile tower in Kota district and threatened to commit suicide over the alleged seizure of his tractor-trolley.

The man, identified as Rohan Gurjar, was allegedly transporting 'bajri' used for construction work from the National Chambal Gharial Wildlife Sanctuary, officials said.

Gurjar uploaded a 36-second video clip from the mobile tower in Nimoda Harji village, threatening to end his life while holding forest and police officials responsible for the extreme step.

The high-voltage drama lasted for about two hours before the authorities finally convinced Gurjar to climb down after promising to release his trolley, which, they claimed, he abandoned after noticing a forest department team.

The youth climbed the mobile tower at around 12.30 pm on Sunday, prompting the police and forest officials to rush to the spot and convince the man to come down, Digod police station SHO Ranjeet Singh said.

Following their persuasion and assurance to release his tractor-trolley without taking any action against him, Gurjar finally descended the mobile tower at around 2.30 pm, the officer added.

So far, no action has been initiated against Gurjar, the SHO said as he reiterated that the tractor-trolley was not seized by the forest officials but was abandoned by Gurjar himself.

The forest officials claimed that Gurjar, who was into illegally transporting 'bajri' from the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary, fled on noticing a forest department team after unloading his tractor-trolley which he left behind.

"It is well known in the area that Gurjar was involved in illegal bajri mining, but no case was registered against him. We will initiate action after the situation settles down," Durgesh Kahar, forest ranger of the area, said.

Located on the Chambal River near the tripoint of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh, the National Chambal Gharial Sanctuary constitutes a long eco-reserve co-administered by the three states.

In Jaipur, the two men perched on a water tank ended their agitation on Tuesday after Rajasthan minister Kirodi Lal Meena climbed up to discuss the issue with them and finally succeeded in his entreaties.

Laduram Chaudhary (35) and Vikas Bidhuri (34) had been on the tank since Sunday demanding the cancellation of a sub-inspector recruitment exam, going 50 hours without food or water.

It took Meena to persuade them to come down, assuring them that he would arrange a meeting with Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma after the Assembly bypolls are over.