Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru

Mangaluru, Aug 9: High drama was witnessed at one of city's busiest commercial hubs, Hampankatta, on the night of Tuesday August 9, as a youth climbed atop a building and threatened to jump off.

Bronto Skylift F 32 RLX

The youth had been spotted in the complex housing Ideal Ice Cream parlour earlier in the evening, but soon, the locals heard shouts coming from the top of the building. They saw the youth threatening to commit suicide by jumping off.

The youth, who spoke in Hindi, told the anxious crowd that he wanted Rs 10 lac and cigarettes, and that if he did not get them, he would jump off and end his life. The crowd tried their best to pacify him, speaking to him in Hindi, Tulu and Kannada, but to no avail. The youth refused to budge.

The people informed the police and the fire service who rushed to the spot. After much coaxing, Shekar of Paneshwar police finally managed to convince him, and even he approached him, the fire personnel and the locals too surrounded and caught him, tied him up and finally managed to bring him down. The police then had to deal with the excited crowd. A jubilant public carried Shekar on their shoulders in celebration.

It was suspected that he had consumed drugs. Initially he said he was from Odisha, but then claimed he was a Keralite. He could not even say his name coherently.

Police said that he would be admitted to hospital and further details about his identity would be established on Wednesday August 10.

Incidentally, the high-end Bronto Skylift F 32 RLX which the Pandeshwar fire service had procured in 2014, was of no use in rescuing the youth, even though it was brought to the spot. A fire fighter said that due to high tension wires everywhere, it is not possible to move the fire engine around the city, thus rendering it almost a 'waste of expenditure'.