Dhenkanal: A former police constable was safely rescued on Saturday evening after a 14-hour operation following his climb on a mobile tower near Dhenkanal Town Police Station in an alleged suicide attempt.
Rudra Narayan Das, a resident of Sogar village under Kamakhyanagar police limits, climbed the telecommunications tower near Dhenkanal Town Police station in the morning hours, claiming he was unfairly dismissed from service and that his repeated appeals for reinstatement had been ignored.
According to sources, Rudra Narayan Das was appointed as a constable in the 1st OSAP Battalion in Dhenkanal in September 2018. However, he could not complete the training on two occasions due to poor performance and was dismissed in 2020. He had been repeatedly approaching the administration for reinstatement or a job but without success.
During the standoff, Das reportedly carried two petrol bottles with him and threatened to pour petrol on himself and set himself ablaze if forced to come down. He initially refused to descend despite persuasion by police and fire services personnel.
Dhenkanal Fire Brigade reached the spot immediately after receiving information. Senior officials, including Additional District Magistrate Ramesh Chandra Sethi and Additional SP Suryamani Pradhan, arrived at the scene and spoke to him over mobile phone. Das demanded an appointment letter and arrangement for his mother’s treatment as conditions to come down.
A large-scale rescue operation was launched with support from multiple fire departments. Modern equipment and personnel from Angul Fire Department, ODRAF, and Bhubaneswar Fire Department were called in. A safety net was installed around the tower. Fire personnel attempted to reach him using a high platform (air lift) machine.
The operation faced repeated hurdles as Das allegedly spilled petrol again when the rescue team tried to approach. Officials temporarily stepped back to avoid any untoward incident. His friends, colleagues, and senior police officers, including SP Abhinav Sonakkar, continued persuading him.
At around 8:30 pm, Das reportedly fell ill due to exhaustion and the day’s scorching heat. He finally agreed after his brother-in-law spoke to him and the administration gave certain assurances. The fire department team then successfully brought him down using the high platform machine.
He was immediately shifted to the District Headquarters Hospital in Dhenkanal in an ambulance for treatment. His condition is stated to be stable and he is under medical observation.
