Rabat — Authorities in Beni Mellal have provided clarifications about the tragedy of the 45-year-old man that took place yesterday in Oulad Youssef, in the Beni Mellal province.
The man ended his protest on top of a water tank by jumping with a rope around his neck on Friday evening.
He now lies in intensive care at the regional hospital in Beni Mellal following his fall from the elevated water tank, according to local authorities.
Officials had tried multiple approaches to rescue the protester since he began his sit-in demonstration on the water tank.
Authorities exhausted all dialogue and persuasion efforts, involving the man’s relatives, acquaintances, and representatives from the regional human rights committee.
The man refused to respond to various proposals officials made to address his demands through proper legal channels.
Civil defense worker attacked
The situation escalated, taking a violent turn on Friday night, when the protester pretended to suffer a health emergency and called for help from Civil Protection workers. When two civil defense officers climbed up to assist him, the man took one of them hostage.
The protester attacked the civil defense worker with a sharp weapon, tied him up, and then pushed him off the water tank. The officer suffered fractures that required emergency surgery.
Police intervention
Facing this serious development and the danger the man posed to himself and others, Royal Gendarmerie officers intervened to rescue him and stop his actions. Still, the man violently resisted using sharp weapons and throwing stones.
After officers surrounded him, the protester threw himself from the top of the water tank to fall into a shock-absorbing rubber device that authorities had previously placed at the base of the tank to try to save the man.
Investigation and background
The Royal Gendarmerie has opened a judicial investigation under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor’s office. Officials notified prosecutors of all procedures and interventions at various stages to uncover all circumstances related to this incident.
Local reports indicated that the man was demanding a new investigation into the death of his father. The 45-year-old man claims that his dad was murdered, staging a more than 10-day sit-in on top of the water tower.
Meanwhile, local sources say he had shown symptoms of psychological disorder.
