Gurgaon: For five hours, a youth kept Tigra villagers on their toes on Monday.Kaif (19) climbed a mobile tower in the village in Nuh’s Firozpur Jhirka at 8am and refused to come down, insisting that he be allowed to marry his maternal uncle’s minor daughter. His move soon drew a crowd of villagers, while police reached the spot and began trying to persuade him to climb down safely.Kaif climbed the tower after a family disagreement took an unusual turn. However, by the time Kaif eventually climbed down from the tower — around 1 pm — and ended the tense standoff, he had his way, almost.Kaif helps support the family’s expenses by driving a private vehicle while his father works as a farmer. According to villagers, while the girl’s family is said to be agreeable to the relationship, Kaif’s father has opposed the marriage. Upset over the opposition, he climbed the tower in an attempt to force his family to accept his demand. Villagers added that the maternal uncle had died a year ago.For hours, police and villagers tried to convince Kaif to come down. Police officials kept speaking to him and urged him to descend, given the risk to his life. According to a villager, the family convinced him that he would get married to her after she attains the age of marriage. “She is a minor,” a villager said. After Kaif came down safely, the police began his counselling.A senior police officer said, “Police were making efforts to persuade the youth to come down safely. We are investigating the case and will talk with the family. We will proceed further while also keeping in mind the legal aspects related to the minor girl.”
