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18-Year-Old Jumps Off Hill Over iPhone EMI, Both Parents Also Die
An 18-year-old boy and his parents died after a tragic incident at a hill in Maharashtra, reportedly linked to family and financial problems.
An 18-year-old man, Kunal Chandgude, his father and mother died after a tragic incident at a hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, on 21 August 2026.
According to police, Kunal had been worried about paying the monthly EMI for an iPhone. His father, Murlidhar Chandgude, worked as a driver and was the family's only earning member. The two reportedly argued over the phone payment that morning.
Kunal then went to a hill in the Tisgaon area and threatened to jump. His parents, police, firefighters and local residents reached the spot and spent nearly three hours trying to convince him to come down. People even offered to arrange an iPhone for him, but he refused to move away from the edge.
Around 1 pm, Kunal's father moved closer and tried to pull him away. Kunal then jumped, and his father lost his balance while trying to catch him. After seeing her husband and son fall, Kunal's mother, Sangita Chandgude, also jumped. All three died at the spot.
Police later found that this was reportedly not Kunal's first suicide attempt. About a year earlier, he had allegedly tried to jump from the same hill but was stopped by police.
Investigators are now looking into the family's financial and personal problems. Police are also examining old social-media posts, videos and other material from the family's phones to understand what may have led to the tragedy.
The family also had a pet dog that was especially close to Kunal. After the deaths, neighbours said the dog kept waiting around the house and refused food and water. Local residents and animal lovers have stepped in to care for the grieving pet.
The incident is being investigated, and police are looking at the wider family circumstances rather than treating the tragedy as only an argument over an iPhone EMI.