A family dispute over a mobile phone ended in tragedy in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district after a 19-year-old boy and both his parents fell from Khawadya Hill in the Tisgaon area on Friday.
The teenager had gone to the hill around 10 am following an argument with his parents. His parents followed him and tried to persuade him to return, but the situation soon drew a large rescue operation involving police, fire brigade personnel, villagers and the village sarpanch.
Despite nearly three hours of efforts to convince the teenager to move away from the edge, the rescue attempt ended tragically.
Sarpanch makes emotional appeal
The village sarpanch repeatedly urged the teenager to come back, even promising to fulfil his demands.
“Ae bhai, main gaon ka sarpanch hoon. Chal! Jo chahiye wo laakar denge. Gaon mein chal,” the sarpanch reportedly told him.
When those promises failed to convince him, the sarpanch made an emotional appeal centred on his mother.
“Maa ke liye jee lo na!” he pleaded, urging the teenager to reconsider.
The teenager reportedly remained unmoved and told those trying to persuade him that he had decided to die.
Father tries to save son
According to police, rescue personnel had attempted to position a safety net at the foothill. However, the teenager repeatedly changed his position near the edge, making it difficult for rescuers to anticipate his movements.
After 1 pm, his father slowly approached him and pleaded with him to move away from the edge.
Rameshwar Gade, inspector at Waluj MIDC police station, said the teenager suddenly jumped and his father fell while trying to grab and save him.
Mother also falls from hilltop
The tragedy did not end there. After witnessing her husband and son fall, the mother also jumped from the hilltop, according to police.
All three died in the incident.
Police recovered the bodies and sent them for further formalities.
Sanjay Jadhav, a former sarpanch of Tisgaon village who was involved in the rescue effort, said the teenager had remained unwilling to listen despite sustained efforts by villagers and authorities.
“We, along with the administration, were trying to convince the teenager for almost three hours, but he was not in a condition to listen to anybody,” Jadhav said.
The incident has left the local community shocked, with the circumstances surrounding the family dispute and the failed rescue attempt drawing attention to the devastating consequences of the confrontation.
