Son, parents die in tragic sequence of falls from India hill
Three-hour ordeal in Maharashtra ends in tragedy after efforts to bring teenager to safety
A three-hour effort to save a 19-year-old man who had threatened to jump from a hill ended in tragedy in Maharashtra on Friday, with the teenager and both his parents dying in a sequence of falls, according to media reports.
The incident occurred at Khavda Hill in the Tisgaon area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district.
The teenager had gone to the hill at around 10am following an argument with his parents over his demand for a new mobile phone, PTI reported, citing police.
After reaching the hilltop, he stood close to the edge and repeatedly threatened to jump, setting off a prolonged effort by his parents, villagers and police to persuade him to move to safety.
NDTV reported that the ordeal continued for nearly three hours as the teenager’s mother and others pleaded with him to reconsider.
Tourists and local residents at the site recorded parts of the incident on their mobile phones.
Father climbs hill to reach son
Police and fire brigade personnel arrived as attempts continued to persuade the teenager to move away from the cliff.
Fire service personnel also tried to position a safety net at the bottom of the hill, according to the reports, but the teenager continued moving along the edge, complicating efforts to rescue him.
His father initially tried to reason with him from below. During the final 15 to 20 minutes, however, he climbed the hill in an attempt to reach his son.
At around 1pm, the father approached the teenager and tried to grab him as he moved near the edge.
The teenager fell from the steep hillside and his father, while attempting to save him, also lost his balance and fell, police said.
Moments later, the teenager’s mother, who had witnessed her husband and son fall, also plunged from the hill.
All three died.
Mother had repeatedly pleaded with son
Eyewitness Sanjay Jadhav told NDTV that the family and others at the scene had repeatedly tried to persuade the teenager to step away from the edge.
“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,” Jadhav said.
“The mother kept pleading with him not to jump,” he added.
Police recovered the bodies and sent them for further formalities.
The family lived in the Zalta Phata area of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, according to the PTI report.
