Argument over phone leads to Hilltop tragedy in Maharashtra

E-PaperSubscribeSubscribeEnjoy unlimited accessSubscribe Now! Get features like A 19-year-old man died by suicide after jumping from a hilltop in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district on Friday afternoon, while his father also fell to his death in an attempt to save him and his mother jumped after seeing the two fall, police said. HT ImageThe incident took place at Khawadya Hill in the Tisgaon area under Waluj MIDC police station. According to police, the teenager went to the hill around 10 am after an argument with his parents over his demand for a new mobile phone. Worried about him, his parents followed him to the hilltop and tried to persuade him to return home, police said. Police, fire brigade personnel and villagers also reached the spot after receiving information that the teenager was attempting to die by suicide. Rescue personnel tried to place a safety net at the foothill, but the 19-year-old repeatedly changed his position near the edge, making it difficult for them to anticipate where he might jump, they said. “It seems he was deliberately attempting to take the extreme step. The situation continued for nearly three hours. After 1 pm, his father slowly approached him and pleaded with him to step away from the edge. The teenager suddenly jumped, and his father also fell while trying to grab and save him,” Rameshwar Gade, inspector at Waluj MIDC police station Seeing her husband and son fall, the mother too jumped from the hilltop, Gade added. The inspector said the police had made extensive rescue arrangements at the spot. “Physically attempting to restrain the teenager could also have endangered the lives of police personnel,” he said. Sanjay Jadhav, former sarpanch of Tisgaon village, who was among those trying to persuade the 19-year-old, said, “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.” Police said the bodies were recovered and were sent for further formalities.