Bengaluru worker climbs 150-ft tower in rain, threatens suicide unless missing wife is found

A construction worker in Bengaluru Rural threatened suicide from a tower, demanding to find his missing wife. After police negotiations, he descended safely.

Bengaluru Rural police had a tense evening on Sunday after a construction worker climbed a 150-foot mobile tower in Anekal, threatening to jump unless his missing wife was found.

For nearly two hours, the Attibele police inspector tried to negotiate with him. (Representational Image) (PTI)

The worker, identified as Chiranjeevi, called the 112 emergency helpline around 5 pm, declaring he would leap to his death if his wife Roja did not return home. Within minutes, police tracked his location and rushed fire and rescue personnel to the site, Deccan Herald reported.

Chiranjeevi alleged that his landlord, Harish, was having an affair with Roja and demanded that Harish be brought before him. Although Harish denied the accusation, Chiranjeevi refused to descend. Battling heavy rain, he clung to the tower, shivering and staying on the phone with police officers, the report further added.

For nearly two hours, the Attibele police inspector tried to negotiate with him. Chiranjeevi finally relented after the officer swore before his house deity that Roja would be traced. Around 7.30 pm, he climbed down safely.

Police later said Chiranjeevi was intoxicated during the incident. His suspicions about Roja began three days earlier when he allegedly spotted her in Harish’s car. After confronting and assaulting her, Roja left home on August 30, recording a video before leaving. A missing persons complaint has since been registered.

“This was essentially a family dispute that turned into an emergency call. The husband dialled 112 and threatened to end his life unless his wife returned. It took hours of persuasion to save him. This reminds us that anger may win the moment, but patience and dialogue save lives,” said CK Baba, Bengaluru Rural SP as reported by Deccan Herald.