The 19-year-old boy who died by suicide in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar earlier this week had reportedly attempted to end his life last year too, at the very same spot.
Three members of a family died at Khavda Hill in the Tisgaon area in a freak sequence of falls from a hilltop that reportedly stemmed from a domestic dispute over a mobile phone. While the 19-year-old had threatened suicide, his parents also died while trying to save him.
However, the incident on Friday was reportedly not the teenager's first suicide bid. He had attempted suicide last year from the same cliff, but was persuaded by the police to drop the idea, NDTV reported. The police are now probing whether the dispute over the iPhone EMI was the only trigger behind the teenager's extreme step, Times of India reported.
Deep Dive
What led to the tragic incident involving the Maharashtra teenager and his parents?
Why do financial pressures related to mobile phone ownership contribute to suicide risks among youth?
How can families address conflicts arising from financial issues related to consumer goods?
HT could not independently verify the information.
What do we know?
The 19-year-old allegedly went up the hill at around 10 am after an argument with his parents over his demand for a new mobile phone, news agency PTI reported. The teenager had threatened suicide, prompting his parents, other villagers and police personnel to spend nearly three hours persuading him to give up the bid, according to NDTV.
The boy had allegedly bought an iPhone and had been asking his family for money to pay the EMIs, police said. This led to a heated argument with his father over the latest payment.
{{/usCountry}}The boy had allegedly bought an iPhone and had been asking his family for money to pay the EMIs, police said. This led to a heated argument with his father over the latest payment.
{{/usCountry}}Videos of the incident and the prolonged standoff taken by tourists and locals at the site surfaced on social media.
Fire service personnel spread safety net, father tried to reason with teen
When the teenager was near the edge, police and fire brigade personnel reached the spot and tried to bring him to safety. Fire service personnel also tried to spread a safety net at the base of the hill, but the boy kept moving along the cliff edge, making the rescue effort difficult.
The teenager's father also climbed up the hill after initially trying to reason with his son from below. The father, during the last 15-20 minutes of the ordeal, went up the hill. He moved closer to his son at around 1 pm and attempted to grab him as he backed off towards the edge. However, both father and son died during the attempt.
The teenager's mother, who had witnessed the incident, also fell moments later. The bodies were recovered by police and sent for further formalities.
Discussing suicides can be triggering for some. However, suicides are preventable. If you need support or know someone who does, please reach out to your nearest mental health specialist.
Helplines: Aasra: 022 2754 6669; Sneha India Foundation: +914424640050 and Sanjivini: 011-24311918, Roshni Foundation (Secundrabad) Contact Nos: 040-66202001, 040-66202000; ONE LIFE: Contact No: 78930 78930, SEVA: Contact No: 09441778290