A man in Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi district created a scene on Sunday when he climbed a mobile tower and threatened to jump unless his “girlfriend” was brought to him for marriage. The dramatic incident reminded people of a famous water tanker scene from the Bollywood film “Sholay.” The man, identified as Pawan Pandey, stayed on the tower for over five hours while police and firefighters tried to convince him to come down safely. Later, it was revealed that he had fallen victim to an online scam, and the woman he was demanding, named Khushbu, did not actually exist.
Police and Firefighters Intervene
According to Circle Officer Ashok Kumar Mishra, Pandey ascended the tower close to Yakubpur at approximately nine in the morning and operates a paan shop on the city’s main route.He yelled for Khushbu from above, threatening to leap if she wasn’t brought to him.Police and firefighters tried to calm him through phone calls, but no one could locate the woman he claimed to know. Eventually, authorities asked a female staff member to pose as Khushbu over the phone. Pandey consented to descend from the tower at approximately 2:00 pm after the trick was successful.
Online Scam Revealed
After the rescue, police discovered that Pandey had been chatting for two years with a fake Instagram account pretending to be Khushbu. The person behind the account used another woman’s photo and had reportedly received money from Pandey under the guise of a romantic relationship.
Legal Action and Investigation
Pandey believed people were trying to stop him from marrying Khushbu,” Mishra stated. But it was a case of online fraud, where someone used a fake identity to take money from him.” Police have filed charges against Pandey for creating a public disturbance, and further investigation is ongoing.
