A tragic incident at Khavda Hill in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district claimed the lives of an 18-year-old man and his parents on Friday, after a prolonged attempt to stop the teenager from jumping ended in tragedy.
The incident unfolded over nearly three hours, with the teenager standing close to the edge of the hill and repeatedly threatening to take his own life. His parents, along with local residents, tourists and police personnel, tried to convince him to move away from the dangerous spot.
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The teenager, a resident of the Devlai area, reportedly reached the edge of the hill at around 10 am. He repeatedly told his parents that he was going to jump.
As the ordeal continued, those at the spot tried different ways to persuade him. His parents reportedly urged him to think about his future and their lives, but the teenager remained near the edge.
The tense episode was witnessed by tourists and locals, some of whom recorded the incident on video.
During the final 15 to 20 minutes, the teenager’s father climbed up the hill in an attempt to get closer to his son and bring him back to safety.
At around 1 pm, the father reportedly attempted to grab the teenager as he remained near the edge. However, the two lost their balance and fell from the hill.
The mother, who was also at the spot and had been pleading with her son, fell moments later amid the chaos.
All three family members died in the incident.
Police personnel were present at the location and also attempted to persuade the teenager to move away from the edge. Despite repeated efforts by the authorities and members of the public, the situation could not be brought under control.
Eyewitness Sanjay Jadhav said the teenager’s parents and others had made repeated attempts to reason with him.
According to Jadhav, the family spent a long time trying to convince the teenager not to take the extreme step. He said the mother repeatedly pleaded with her son not to jump.
The incident has once again highlighted the risks involved when people in crisis are approached in dangerous locations without immediate access to specialised intervention.
What began as an effort to save one young life ended in the deaths of three members of the same family.
The authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident and establish the exact sequence of events that led to the fatal falls.
The tragedy at Khavda Hill has left the local community shocked, particularly because of the lengthy rescue effort and the presence of several people who had gathered at the site in an attempt to prevent the teenager from taking his own life.
