Indian woman climbs 100-foot tower to marry lover, comes down after online nikah

A 19-year-old woman in India's Uttar Pradesh climbed a nearly 100-foot mobile phone tower to insist on marrying the man she loved, refusing to come down until her family agreed to the marriage, according to Indian media reports.

The incident took place in Bahraich district, where the woman, identified by Hindustan Times as Sahiba Begum, also known as Mehak, climbed the tower after an argument with her mother over her relationship with Nooruddin, 21.

Nooruddin was working in Mumbai, about 1,000 kilometres away, when the standoff unfolded, the newspaper reported.

The couple wanted to marry, but their families had opposed the relationship. 

Mehak reportedly remained on the tower for around four hours as relatives, villagers and police tried to persuade her to climb down safely.

She threatened to jump if her demand was not met, according to the reports.

Police personnel, including women officers, reached the scene and tried to calm her down. 

As the standoff continued, efforts were made to contact Nooruddin and resolve the dispute between the families.

The situation was eventually resolved when a local Muslim cleric solemnised the couple's nikah (marriage contract) over a video call, with Nooruddin joining remotely from Mumbai, Hindustan Times reported.

After the ceremony, Mehak agreed to descend, and female police personnel helped her down safely, bringing the tense episode to an end.

Police later took the woman and her family to the station for counselling before she was sent home with her mother, according to Indian media reports.

The incident drew a crowd of villagers and highlighted the tensions that can arise when a couple's wish to marry clashes with family opposition. 

For Mehak and Nooruddin, the immediate standoff ended with the marriage they had sought, after a dramatic protest high above the ground.