On Tuesday morning, a guy scaled a 200-foot tower in Sector 17, Chandigarh and demanded to meet with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann. At about 8:30 a.m., the drama commenced which drew considerable attention from both local officials and those who happened to be walking around.
Vikram Singh of Jind district in Haryana climbed a tower at the Sector 17 parking area situated within the proximity of the Sector 17 police station and bus stand. He climbed this building due to his frustration regarding land disputes that lasted for many years within the Mansa district of Punjab province which were never resolved. Despite complaining several times at Mansa and Jind police stations, there was no response hence he decided to seek the attention of the CM directly which he did by undertaking such an extreme measure.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Central) Gurmuskh Singh played a pivotal role in de-escalating the situation. He maintained continuous phone communication with Vikram, eventually convincing him to come down with the assistance of fire brigade personnel. Vikram was safely brought down from the tower around 1:30 pm.
Following his descent, Vikram was taken for a medical check-up. Chandigarh Police then escorted hit to Chief Minister Mann’s residence in Sector 3. Although the Chief Minister was unavailable at the time, the officer on Special Duty (OSD) to the CM assured Vikram that a meeting would be arranged within one to two days.
Police revealed that Vikram had initially attempted to climb towers at other locations in Chandigarh, including one at the Sector 43 bus stand, but those towers were locked. He ultimately found an accessible tower in Sector 17, leading to the five-hour standoff.
This incident underscores the desperation individuals can feel when they believe their voices are not being heard and highlights the importance of responsive governance. The swift actions by DSP Gurmukh Singha and the OSD to address Vikram’s concern provide hope for a timely resolution to his long-standing issue.
