Meerut, Feb 27 (IANS): A Muslim man on Wednesday climbed onto a water tank in Meerut and raised slogans in favour of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying the nation needed a leader like him, officials said.

The incident happened in the Civil Lines area in the afternoon when the bearded man, identified as Zia-ul-Haq by the police, climbed onto the high water tank with two bottles full of petrol.

He threatened to set himself ablaze if anyone came near him and used force to bring him down. Haq had a hand-held loudspeaker with him and started shouting: Desh Ka Neta Kaisa ho, Narendra Modi Jaisa Ho.

He also shouted slogans in favour of the air strikes and said that only a leader like Modi could have done this. He slammed people who eat beef and said that cow slaughter should stop in the state and the country.

Senior district and police officials have since rushed to the site and are trying to pacify the man and get him to climb down. Police have put safety nets below the water tank and is requesting the man to come down.

He in turn sprayed petrol on the stairs leading to the tank top and set it on fire. The police is also trying to ascertain from his family if he is suffering from some mental health issues.