Lucknow: A contractual employee of Roadways climbed a tower while carrying a can filled with petrol in front of the SP office in the Gautampalli police station area on Thursday, causing alarm among the police officers.
He repeatedly threatened self-immolation, which further increased the pressure on the police as they tried to bring him down by counselling him. His wife and children were standing below.
The policemen tried their best to convince him, but the employee remained adamant until the fire brigade's hydraulic lift (crane) was called and ACP Hazratganj Arvind Kumar went up in it along with the employee's son.
The drama continued for about 30 minutes.
The employee, Raju Saini, is a resident of Aligarh. He came to Janta Darbar with his family to hand over his complaint to the Chief Minister.
The police found a complaint letter from the wife, which said that transport department officials are indulging in corruption and often harass employees.
It also said that the officers had threatened to take her husband's job.
His wife claimed that the officers make her husband drive a dilapidated bus, due to which an accident can happen at any time. "They forcibly make him drive a dilapidated vehicle and threaten to dismiss him from the job. They deduct money from the salary by accusing him of diesel theft," said the letter, adding that due to low salary, they were not able to educate their children.
The letter alleged that many drivers and conductors have committed suicide.
Taking a jibe at the incident, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav said, "This is the truth of the so-called court of the Chief Minister, where no one is heard."