A 27-year-old man was safely rescued from a mobile tower on a three-storey building in Wagholi after a three-hour operation involving the police and the Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Regional Development Authority (PMRDA) fire brigade on October 12, according to a report by Sakal – Pune.
The incident took place alongside the Pune-Ahilyanagar Highway after the man, identified as Roshan Kumar, climbed the tower following a domestic dispute. The report said Kumar, who works as a driver, had been travelling by motorcycle towards his native place in Bihar after an argument at home. He reportedly encountered another domestic dispute after reaching Wagholi and then climbed the tower.
The police reached the site after receiving information about the incident. Fire brigade personnel from the PMRDA were also called to assist with the rescue. Police officers and fire personnel repeatedly asked Kumar to come down, both through a mobile phone and a loudspeaker. However, he did not initially respond to the requests.
According to the report, Kumar threatened to jump when fire brigade personnel began attempting to climb the structure to rescue him. Police and fire personnel continued their efforts for around two and a half hours while managing the situation from the building and the ground below.
Kumar eventually fell asleep on the platform at the top of the tower while intoxicated. Fire brigade personnel Sainath More, Rajendra Funde and Sagar Jankar then climbed the tower and brought him down at approximately 8.15 pm. He was subsequently taken to the police station, where his statement was recorded.
Kumar told the police that he had consumed alcohol after a domestic dispute, travelled to Wagholi on his motorcycle and then climbed the tower. The report also said he has a one-year-old daughter and that his wife does not live with him.
Senior Police Inspector Nandkumar Gaikwad of the Wagholi police station said the man’s life was saved after police and fire personnel worked together for three hours. The rescue ended without injury to Kumar or the responding personnel, according to the report.
The incident also disrupted traffic management along the highway. A crowd gathered near the building as news of the rescue spread, leading to congestion on the Pune-Ahilyanagar Highway. Assistant Police Inspector Kishor Tanpure and traffic personnel worked to disperse onlookers and clear the road while the rescue operation continued.
The operation highlights the logistical challenges emergency agencies face when a high-risk incident unfolds beside a major urban road. Responders had to simultaneously communicate with the person on the tower, plan a safe approach, control the crowd and keep traffic moving along the highway. The report did not provide further details about any medical or counselling support offered to Kumar after he was brought down.
