An 18-year-old teenager and his parents died after a rescue effort at Khavdya Hills in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar ended in tragedy on Thursday.
The teenager, identified as Kunal, had climbed the hill and threatened to end his life. His parents, police and fire brigade personnel, along with local villagers, spent nearly three hours trying to convince him to come down. The attempt ultimately resulted in the deaths of all three family members.
THREE-HOUR EFFORT TO SAVE TEEN
The standoff lasted from around 10 am until 1 pm, with Kunal standing on a rocky outcrop overlooking a deep gorge. His mother, Sangeeta, accompanied by the local sarpanch and villagers, repeatedly appealed to him to abandon his plan.
At one point, the sarpanch even offered Kunal an iPhone in an attempt to persuade him to come down.
However, Kunal did not respond to their appeals. Police and fire brigade personnel also arrived at the location and attempted to rescue him, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
FATHER FALLS WHILE TRYING TO SAVE SON, MOTHER JUMPS AFTER SEEING THEM
Kunal’s father, Murlidhar, initially stayed at the foot of the hill but later climbed up to speak to his son directly.
According to preliminary accounts, Murlidhar tried to grab Kunal, but both lost their balance and fell from the hill.
Sangeeta allegedly jumped from the hill after seeing her husband and son fall.
The deaths of the three family members within minutes left villagers, police officers and fire brigade personnel at the scene shocked.
All three were residents of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Police have contacted other members of the family, and further investigation is underway.
