Bhubaneswar, Dec 21 (IANS): Muktikanta Biswal, a social activist from Rourkela in Odisha, climbed atop an advertisement hoarding at the Sishu Bhawan square in Bhubaneswar on Wednesday to stage a protest.

Biswal even threatened to end his life after being denied permission to meet Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik over some demands of the people of Rourkela. Later, fire service personnel rescued him.

Biswal (34) walked for around 500 km from Rourkela to Bhubaneswar to remind Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik of the 'unfulfilled promises' he made to the people of the steel city in 2013.

However, he failed to meet Patnaik in Bhubaneswar. After staging protest for several days in the city, he climbed atop the flex board on Wednesday and threatened to set himself on fire while holding a bottle of diesel in his hand.

Following a five-hour long operation, Biswal was rescued by the firemen following which he was rushed to the Capital Hospital here.

Biswal later told reporters that he will continue his fight till all the promises made by the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik are met.

"I have come here to fight for the cause of the people of Rourkela and Sundergarh. If I am arrested and put behind the bars, I will fast unto death inside the jail," he threatened.

Biswal also carried two tableaux with models of projects, including a second bridge over the Brahmani river and upgrading IGH to a super speciality facility, which Patnaik had assured to take up with the Centre when Biswal had met him in 2018. Both the projects were announced by the Prime Minister on April 1, 2015.

Earlier, Biswal had also walked to New Delhi to meet the Prime Minister, but failed.