CHENNAI: A frustrated youth climbed atop a cellphone tower in Sithalapakkam at midnight on Wednesday, in protest over not receiving a death certificate for his father for over a year.

Mahesh (28) of Sithalapakkam near Medavakkam works in a private firm. His father Shankar passed away in Walajabad a year ago at the age of 55 due to a heart attack. A week after Shankar's death, his family members applied for a death certificate. They visited the Kancheepuram Corporation office and the Walajabad panchayat office several times seeking the document in vain.

Frustrated over this, Mahesh climbed a cellphone tower in Sithalapakkam at midnight on Wednesday and protested against the officials who had delayed issuing a death certificate for his father. A Perumbakkam police and a team of rescue officials from Medavakkam rushed to the spot and held peace talks with him. Initially, Mahesh refused to get down from the tower.

Later, the police promised Mahesh they would take steps to issue the death certificate soon. After a few hours, in the early morning, Mahesh climbed down from the top of the tower and was taken to the Perumbakkam police station for an inquiry.