1 fall, 3 deaths at Maharashtra hill: How teen's iPhone demand ended in tragedy
An eighteen-year-old died after jumping from a hill when his parents refused him a mobile phone. His parents also lost their lives while attempting to rescue him from the steep cliff. Rescuers and family members made frantic efforts for nearly three hours to save the teenager. The father moved towards his son in the final moments and both fell.
CHHATRAPATI SAMBHAJINAGAR: An 18-year-old, Kunal Chandwade, took his own life by jumping from Khavdya Dongar near Tisgaon on Friday. Tragically, both his parents, Murlidhar and Sangeeta, also died while attempting to save him. The incident occurred around 1pm, following three hours of intense efforts by family members, villagers, police, and fire brigade personnel to bring the youth to safety.
Kunal had reportedly been upset because his parents refused to buy him an iPhone. For three hours, his parents and rescuers pleaded with him to step away from the edge of the cliff. Despite their repeated attempts, the teenager remained steadfast, shifting his position along the steep slope.
Local residents reported that Kunal was distressed about his parents' refusal to purchase the expensive mobile phone. Once they learned of his intentions, his parents rushed to the spot. Tisgaon sarpanch Sanjay Jadhav was present at the scene and tried to persuade Kunal to return to safety, even offering him an iPhone. However, Kunal appeared determined to end his life.
As the tense situation lasted for nearly three hours, Kunal's father Murlidhar crept closer to his son in a final attempt to save him. Unfortunately, as Murlidhar moved closer, Kunal suddenly jumped. Both the father and son fell to their deaths simultaneously.
Police Commissioner Pravin Pawar and Deputy Commissioner of Police Ratnakar Navale are working to establish the exact sequence of events. The family is from Dhangar Pimpalgaon village in Jalna district, and their bodies have been taken to their village for postmortem examinations. Police have recovered the bodies from the harsh terrain and are recording statements.
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