India: Cellphone Row Triggers Family's Fatal Cliff Fall

A disagreement concerning a new mobile phone reportedly culminated in the tragic demise of a teenage boy and his parents, who plunged to their deaths from a cliff in India.

The incident, which occurred around 10 a.m. local time on Friday, August 21, saw 19-year-old Kunal Chandgude ascend Khawadya Hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. According to a police report cited by The Indian Express, Kunal had been in a heated argument with his parents regarding payment for a new cellphone he had acquired.

His 48-year-old father, Murlidhar, and mother, Sangita, pursued him up the hill after he threatened to jump while standing precariously at the cliff's edge. Police and fire service personnel were dispatched to the location and spent three hours in an attempt to persuade the teenager to abandon his dangerous stance and return home with his parents.

However, at approximately 1 p.m., as Murlidhar cautiously approached his son, hoping to pull him away from the precipice, Kunal allegedly leaped to his death. His father subsequently fell while heroically attempting to rescue him. Tragically, the mother, Sangita, then jumped to her death after witnessing her husband and son fall, as reported by The Indian Express.

Authorities later recovered the bodies, which have since been sent for post-mortem examinations. Witness Sanjay Jadhav recounted to NDTV, “The parents and others tried very hard to make him understand, but he didn’t listen and kept standing on the edge of the hill. Police officials were also there.” He further recalled, “The mother kept pleading with him not to jump.”

Further details reveal that Kunal’s parents had been living separately since their eldest son passed away from an illness six years prior, according to NDTV. The day before the devastating incident, Sangita had uploaded a video to YouTube, stating that there was “no point in doing anything for a person who does not value love.” She maintained a substantial online presence, with over 30,000 subscribers, and frequently shared mini-vlogs featuring her son.