Bokaro/Ranchi: Fifty years after the iconic scene in ‘Sholay’, where Veeru climbed a water tank to press for his marriage to Basanti, a real-life and far riskier version is unfolding across Jharkhand.From relationship disputes and land conflicts to alleged administrative apathy, youths and adults alike are increasingly climbing mobile towers to force authorities, families or other stakeholders to respond, raising concerns among police and mental health professionals about a growing and dangerous trend.The latest incident occurred on Tuesday in Bokaro’s Gomia block, where an 18-year-old girl climbed a 100-ft-high mobile tower in Dhendhe village and refused to come down until her boyfriend was released from custody. The youth was arrested after her family lodged a missing person’s complaint when she left home a few days ago.Police, family members and locals spent hours persuading her to descend, while officers secured the area amid the risk posed by nearby high-voltage power lines. A large crowd gathered below as rescue efforts continued.The episode came barely a day after a youth climbed a mobile tower in Chandrapura over a relationship dispute. In another recent case, a man in Hazaribag scaled a tower alleging that his land was wrongly mutated, prompting officials to intervene. Similar incidents have been reported from Giridih and Dhanbad, many linked to personal or family conflicts.While most of those involved have been rescued unharmed, authorities warned that the trend is both unlawful and potentially fatal.“Every such case carries serious risks because of the height involved and the presence of electrical infrastructure. Our priority is safe rescue and counselling, but large crowds often make operations more difficult,” a police officer said, urging people to pursue legal and safer channels to resolve grievances.Mental health experts said the phenomenon points to deeper issues than mere protest.“The trend reflects impulsivity, emotional overwhelm and inadequate coping mechanisms, particularly among young people. Social media visibility and viral videos can create a perception that such acts guarantee attention or quick results, reinforcing similar behaviour,” said Dr Amool Ranjan, head of clinical psychology at Rinpas.Experts stressed the need to destigmatise counselling and mental health support, strengthen family and community support systems, and improve access to professional help.“These are often cries for help rather than acts of defiance alone,” said development professional Ganesh Reddy. “What is needed is sustained community-level intervention and life-skills education that equips people to deal with distress and conflict in healthier ways.”
The girl atop the mobile tower in Dhendhe village
The youth atop a mobile tower in Chandrapura
