NEW DELHI, Aug 18: Adamant on his demand to speak to Defence Minister A K Antony, an Armyman who climbed a 200 ft high mobile tower here alleging harassment refused to come down for the second day today.
K Muthu, who is attached with Engineers Regiment, climbed the tower at Ajmeri Gate at around 1 PM yesterday and refused to come down till late night despite appeals by police and officers of Army, a senior police official said.
The 35-year-old sepoy in Army told reporters over phone, “I want to meet the Defence Minister. I will come down only if I’m allowed to meet the minister.”
Colleagues from his unit are taking turns to be with him atop the tower and trying to convince him.
Hailing from Tuticorin district of Tamil Nadu, Muthu has alleged he was transferred five times in five years.
He said, “This is not a problem faced by me alone. I’m presenting the problems faced by many jawans in Army.”
On Friday, he had thrown a bunch of papers and in one of the letters, he demanded his discharge from service due to alleged harassment by seniors. In the letter, he has also requested the commanding officer to get his salary of the last eight months cleared.
Rubbishing the allegations levelled by the sepoy, a senior army official said, “There is nothing like that. Muthu has taken more leaves than he has been sanctioned. In fact, he would be given a fair chance to present his case once he comes down.”
Regarding the sepoy’s health, the official said, “Muthu is currently taking only liquids and has refused to have solid food. We have sent colleagues who were with him in his regiment but he is not cooperating with them also.” (PTI)
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