A teenager and both of his parents died after falling from a hill in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district on Friday following a dispute over iPhone EMI payments, reports said.
The incident occurred at Khawadya Hill in the Tisgaon area, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Waluj MIDC police station.
The deceased have been identified as Kunal Chandgude (18), his father Murlidhar Chandgude (48), and his mother Sangeeta Chandgude, who were residents of the Zalta Phata area.
Kunal had reportedly managed to buy an expensive iPhone on Equated Monthly Installments (EMIs) but was unable to afford the payments himself.
A heated argument erupted between Kunal and his father, who worked as a driver, when the teenager demanded money to pay the latest monthly instalment, which the parents refused.
Following an argument over this, Kunal went up the hill around 10 am in a bid to take his own life. His parents followed him to the hilltop and tried to persuade him to return home.
According to a report, the local villagers, police teams and fire brigade personnel rushed to the hill after being alerted and launched a joint effort to bring the teenager to safety. Firefighters attempted to deploy a safety net below the cliff, but the rescue operation was hampered as Kunal repeatedly moved along the edge of the hill, making it difficult for the team to safely approach him.
Around 1 pm, Murlidhar approached his son and tried to calm him down, urging him to abandon the plan and return home. According to police, Kunal subsequently went over the edge. Murlidhar tried to save him, but in the process, the two reportedly lost their footing and plunged down the steep slope.
Sangita, who was at the scene, watched as her husband and son fell from the hill. Police said she then went over the edge herself and died.
Police and fire brigade personnel later recovered the bodies from the area and completed the necessary procedures. An investigation into the incident is underway.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Tele Manas - 14416 (available 24x7) or Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm.)