Three members of a family—a couple and their 19-year-old son—died after falling from a height of more than 500 feet at Khawadya Hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Friday afternoon.
The police confirmed the deaths of all three. The police, fire brigade personnel and villagers soon gathered at the spot and tried to persuade the teenager to move away from the edge of the hill. As a precaution, fire brigade personnel placed a safety net at the foothill. The teenager repeatedly changed his position, making it difficult for the rescue teams to anticipate his movements. Their bodies were sent for autopsy. “It seems he was deliberately attempting to take the extreme step. Our personnel continued trying to convince him. He had reached a stage where he was beginning to understand and was also changing his mind. However, the police did not know that his father was present in the crowd. His father suddenly came forward from the crowd and tried to call out to him and save him. Physically attempting to restrain the teenager could also have endangered the lives of police personnel. However, while the rescue operation was underway, the father suddenly approached his son in an attempt to save him. Both fell from the hill.
Police received a call around 11 am about a youth standing near the edge of the hill and attempting to die by suicide.
Rameshwar Gade, inspector, MIDC Waluj Police Station, said police, fire brigade personnel and villagers made every effort to prevent the teenager from taking the extreme step. Later, the teenager’s mother too jumped from the hilltop,” Gade said. The police had made extensive rescue arrangements at the spot, according to Gade. “Preliminary information suggests that he had a dispute or argument with his father,” police officials said.
