Belagavi , DHNS: A youth sent the police and public into a tizzy on Wednesday evening by climbing atop a mobile phone tower at Halaga village opposite the Suvarna Vidhan Soudha, demanding scientific pricing for sugar cane.

He was identified as Chandru, a resident of Kallupalya village in Kunigal taluk of Tumakuru district. Since 4.30 pm, the police and Fire and Emergency Services personnel tried in vain to convince Chandru to get down from the tower. They told him that his demand would be conveyed to the state government.

Finally, around 6.30 pm Chandru got down from the tower after he was persuaded by the state Janata Dal (Secular) president H D Kumaraswamy, who rushed to the spot on learning about the incident.

Addressing the youth as ‘brother,’ Kumaraswamy assured him that he would look into his problems if he alighted from the tower. Responding to the former chief minister’s request, Chandru got down. Later, the police took him into custody.

Chandru told reporters that the state government has failed to ensure fair price for sugar cane. Chandru said he hadn’t climbed the tower for publicity but to draw the government’s attention to the plight of sugar cane growers.

Kumaraswamy said a case should not be booked against Chandru for climbing the tower.

Chief Minister Siddaramaiah obtained details of the incident from Superintendent of Police B R Ravikanthe Gowda and directed him to file a complaint. Gowda said that attempt to suicide case would be booked against Chandru as a ‘death note’ written by him was found near the tower.