Woman climbs tower with 3 children in Gonda, demands reunion with former lover

A dramatic rescue operation unfolded in Uttar Pradesh's Gonda district on Friday after a woman climbed a nearly 100-metre-high tower near Gonda railway station with her three children, demanding to be reunited with a man she claims abandoned her after promising to live with her.

The woman remained atop the tower for nearly 8-10 hours, triggering panic among authorities and prompting a large-scale rescue effort involving local police, the Railway Protection Force (RPF), district administration and the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF).

According to officials, the woman had previously filed a case against the man, Ram Ikbal, accusing him of rape on the pretext of marriage. She alleged that despite assurances from the police that he would be called for talks, authorities had failed to keep their promise.

The incident occurred at a microwave communication centre complex opposite Gonda railway station. The woman, accompanied by her three children, climbed the tower early in the morning and refused repeated requests from police officials to come down.

As temperatures rose during the day, she reportedly climbed even higher and sat on the structure with her children. Rescue personnel deployed safety nets and an inflatable cushion beneath the tower to prevent casualties in case of a fall. SDRF personnel also climbed the tower carrying water and oral rehydration solution (ORS) while negotiators remained in constant contact with the woman over the phone.

After hours of persuasion, the children were brought down one by one. The woman finally descended with the SDRF team's assistance late in the afternoon.

Speaking after the rescue, the woman accused the police of reneging on earlier assurances.

"When I climbed a tower on June 1, the police administration promised that Ram Ikbal would be called. First they said June 8, then June 14, and later June 28. But he was never called. He had been in contact with me for 9-10 years, took me with him, lived with me and had physical relations with me after asking me to trust him. Then he abandoned me," she alleged.

City Circle Officer Anand Rai said police received information around 7:30 am that a woman and her three children had climbed a tower in the station area.

"This woman is a resident of the Tarabganj area and had climbed another tower about a month ago. Her demands were the same. She wants to live with Ram Ikbal, a resident of her village, and is seeking financial support from him. He is currently working in Delhi and was not present here," Rai said.

He added that the woman was persuaded to come down after discussions and that an inquiry into the incident had been initiated.

RPF Assistant Security Commissioner Mahendra Dubey said the woman gained access to the tower through a railway signal department store located near the station.

"The store was open during work hours and she appears to have entered the premises at that time. There may not have been a guard present. Taking advantage of the situation, she climbed the tower to press her demands," Dubey said.

Officials confirmed that a case filed by the woman against Ram Ikbal is already under investigation and a chargesheet has been submitted. Further legal action will be taken after a detailed probe into Friday's incident, police said.

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With inputs from Anchal Srivastava