High Drama at Mantralaya: Man Threatens to Jump Over Potholes Issue

A 55-year-old man named Arvind Patil created a dramatic scene at the Mantralaya in Mumbai, threatening to jump from the fifth floor. Patil demanded an inquiry into potholes and tree felling on a national highway. Authorities successfully intervened and detained him for counseling.

A tense situation unfolded at the Mantralaya on Tuesday as a 55-year-old man named Arvind Patil threatened to jump from a fifth floor window, causing panic for about half an hour before the police detained him.

At around 3 pm, Patil, a resident of Satara in Maharashtra, entered the secretariat's annex building in south Mumbai, climbed a window ledge on the fifth floor, and sat there, demanding an inquiry into potholes and tree felling on the Karad-Chiplun national highway, said an official.

Despite officials' efforts to coax him inside for fear he might fall, Patil threatened to jump, prompting police and fire brigade personnel to rush to the scene. Fire brigade staff attempted to dissuade him and deployed a safety net on the ground below. They also brought in a vehicle to facilitate a safe rescue. Engaging Patil in conversation from the fifth floor, fire brigade personnel eventually managed to bring him inside, after which police detained him. Patil was later taken to the Marine Drive police station for counseling.

(With inputs from agencies.)