BHUBANESWAR: A 26-year-old man died by suicide by hanging from a coconut tree at a height of around 55 ft at Injana village within Mancheswar police limits here on Saturday.
The deceased, a resident of the same locality, was a coconut plucker by profession. Locals noticed his body hanging from the tree and informed Mancheswar police who then reached the spot along with Odisha Fire and Emergency Service personnel.
However, bringing the body down from such a great height proved a challenging task. One team from Chandrasekharpur fire station attempted to bring down the deceased’s body but to no avail as they were equipped with a ladder that could reach a maximum height of up to 30 ft.
In the meantime, the deceased’s father-in-law arrived at the spot and assembled a group of local coconut pluckers, and with the assistance of fire personnel and their ropes, climbed the tree and brought down the body.
Initial investigation revealed the man took the extreme step after a heated argument with his wife earlier in the day.
“A case of unnatural death has been registered and further investigation into the matter is underway,” said Mancheswar police station IIC, Mrutyunjay Swain. The deceased is survived by his wife and two children.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050, Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)