Mobile phone dispute turns fatal as family of three dies in hilltop fall in Maharashtra

In an unfortunate incident, three members of a family lost their lives in Maharashtra's Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Friday afternoon after a domestic argument over a mobile phone led to a series of fatal falls from a hilltop, police said.

The incident occurred in the Tisgaon area, under the jurisdiction of Waluj MIDC, during the afternoon, an official said.

The deceased were identified as Murlidhar Chandgude (48), his wife Sangita, and their 19-year-old son Kunal, all residents of the city's Zalta Phata locality.

Officials said the sequence of events began around 10 am, when Kunal climbed the hill after becoming upset following a disagreement with his parents over his request for a new mobile phone.

Worried for his safety, Murlidhar and Sangita went up the hill after him in an effort to convince him to come back home.

As things unfolded, local residents, police personnel and fire brigade staff gathered at the location to help with the rescue effort. Fire service personnel attempted to lay out a safety net at the base of the hill, but Kunal repeatedly shifted position near the cliff's edge, making their efforts unsuccessful.

Around 1 pm, the situation escalated when Murlidhar moved closer to comfort his son, but Kunal jumped from the steep hill; Murlidhar tried desperately to catch him, and both lost their balance and fell from the hilltop. 

After witnessing her husband and son fall to their deaths, a devastated Sangita jumped from the hill shortly after, an official said.

Police recovered the bodies, which were sent for further procedures, he added.