LUCKNOW, India (Kashmir English): A 19-year-old woman in India climbed a nearly 100-foot tall mobile phone tower to insist on marrying the man she loved, refusing to come down until her family agreed to the marriage, Indian media reported on Thursday.
The incident took place in Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh, where the woman, identified as Sahiba Begum alias Mehak, climbed the tower after an argument with her mother over her relationship with Nooruddin, 21.
According to a Hindustan Times report, Nooruddin was working in Mumbai, about 1,000 kilometres away, when the standoff took place.
It said the couple wanted to marry, but their families had opposed the relationship.
Mehak reportedly remained on the tower for nearly four hours as relatives, villagers and police tried to persuade her to come down safely.
The reports further said that Mehak threatened to jump if her demand was not met.
Women police
Women police officers along with other officials reached the scene and tried to calm her down.
As the standoff continued, efforts started to contact Nooruddin and resolve the dispute between the families.
The dramatic situation was eventually resolved when a local Muslim cleric solemnised the couple’s nikah (marriage contract) over a video call, with Nooruddin joining remotely from Mumbai, according to the Hindustan Times report.
After the ceremony, Mehak agreed to descend, bringing the tense episode to an end.
Police later took the woman and her family to the station for counselling before she was sent home with her mother.
