Kasargod: 74-year-old climbs mobile tower, threatens suicide over land documents

Mangalore Today News Network

Kasargod, Sep 23, 2026: A 74-year-old man climbed a BSNL mobile tower in Badiadka on Tuesday morning and threatened to end his life, reportedly frustrated over alleged delays in obtaining land-related documents despite pursuing the matter with government offices for 27 years.

The man has been identified as P K Mohandas, a resident of Narampady and a former studio owner in Badiadka.

At around 8:30 am, Mohandas climbed the BSNL tower carrying a bottle of petrol and with a noose around his neck. He reportedly threatened to set himself ablaze or jump from the tower if anyone attempted to rescue him. Locals who noticed him alerted the police.

Badiadka police and Kasargod fire and rescue personnel reached the spot and began efforts to persuade him to come down. After several attempts, the officials managed to distract him through a mobile phone call. Taking advantage of the situation, fire and rescue personnel climbed the tower and safely brought him down after an operation lasting around three hours.

According to reports, Mohandas has been visiting revenue offices for the past 27 years seeking land rights and other related documents. He allegedly took the extreme step after becoming frustrated with what he claimed was official negligence and the failure to resolve his grievances.

Police sources said this was not the first such protest by Mohandas. He had previously climbed trees and towers on four occasions over the same demands and was persuaded to come down each time.

In 2018, he had staged a similar protest by climbing a mobile tower on the premises of the Deputy Commissioner’s Office. Despite assurances from officials, he reportedly claimed that his grievances remained unresolved.

Tuesday’s incident was the fifth time Mohandas had climbed a tower as a protest seeking resolution of his land-related issues.