Bhubaneswar, January 8: Tension gripped Tarbha town in Subarnapur district on Thursday as a youth scaled a high telecom tower and refused to come down, sparking a rescue operation by fire service personnel and residents.

The incident occurred behind the Marwadi Dharamshala, where Sumit Sahoo, a resident, climbed the tower and remained at the top for an hour. As the situation was alarming, locals immediately informed the fire services, who arrived at the spot.

Despite repeated appeals and efforts by fire officials and community members, Sumit remained unresponsive, refusing to descend. Eyewitnesses reported seeing him talking on his mobile phone while atop the tower. However, it is unclear who he was speaking to or if the conversation was related to his actions.

Authorities have not yet revealed the motive behind Sumit’s actions or provided any details about his mental state. The rescue operation is still underway.