‘If a person doesn’t value you…’: Woman who died in Maharashtra hill tragedy spoke about relationships in last YT video

A Final Video and a Family’s Fall

Days after a family of three died in a fall from a hill in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar district, attention has turned to a YouTube video posted by the woman a day before the tragedy. In the video, Sangita Chandgude spoke about relationships, love, and the importance of being valued. “Be ready to give your fate but to that person who values you, who values your love. If a person does not value you, does not value your love, or does not value what you do for them, then there is no point in doing anything for such a person,” she said in Marathi, as reported by NewsX.

The video, which runs about a minute, also used a culinary metaphor to illustrate her point. “A roti tastes good only when it is cooked on both sides,” she said, according to Hindustan Times. The Times of India quoted her comparing relationships to a poli, which “tastes sweet only when it is roasted on both sides.” The recurring theme was that relationships require effort from both sides; otherwise, one should walk away. “If one person keeps making all the effort and the other doesn't value it at all, then there is no meaning in such a relationship. It is always better to walk away from such relationships. Right?” she said, as reported by Hindustan Times.

Sangita had more than 31,000 followers on YouTube, where she regularly shared motivational videos and vlogs, NewsX reported. Another video showed her talking about how society judges women, saying people won’t let you “sit on a horse” nor “walk on foot,” according to Hindustan Times.

The Incident at Khavdya Dongar

On Friday, the family—Sangita, her husband Murlidhar Chandgude, 48, and their son Kunal—died after falling from a hill known as Khavdya Dongar (also referred to as Kohdya Dongar or Khavda Hill) in the Tisgaon area under Waluj MIDC police jurisdiction, as reported by Hindustan Times and NewsX. Police said the sequence began around 10 am when Kunal, who had reportedly been in an argument with his family over EMI payments for a new iPhone, climbed the hill, NewsX reported. His father followed, and Sangita and locals rushed after him.

Efforts to persuade Kunal to step back from the edge continued for nearly three hours, according to multiple reports. Hindustan Times quoted Rameshwar Gade, inspector at Waluj MIDC police station, as saying: “It seems he was deliberately attempting to take the extreme step. The situation continued for nearly three hours. After 1 pm, his father slowly approached him and pleaded with him to step away from the edge. The teenager suddenly jumped, and his father also fell while trying to grab and save him.” NewsX similarly reported that Murlidhar reached his son, tried to pull him away, and both lost balance and fell, with Sangita going over the edge moments later.

Rescue personnel had tried to place a safety net at the foothill, but the teenager repeatedly changed his position, making it difficult for them to anticipate where he might jump, Hindustan Times reported. The father initially tried to reason from below before climbing up in the final 15–20 minutes, the outlet added. Bodies were recovered and sent for formalities, it said.

Age and Family Discrepancies

Reports differ on Kunal’s age. Hindustan Times and The New Indian Express described him as 19 years old, while NewsX and The Times of India said he was 18. Murlidhar’s age, however, was consistently reported as 48.

Underlying Family Discord

As police investigated the tragedy, they looked beyond the immediate trigger. The Times of India reported that preliminary findings pointed to “serious differences” within the family and had ruled out, for now, the initial theory that an unfulfilled demand for an iPhone was the immediate trigger. DCP (Zone-I) Pankaj Atulkar told the outlet that the tragedy appeared to have resulted from a family dispute and serious differences within the household. Assistant police inspector Naresh Thakre said Murlidhar had patched up with his sisters a few months ago after years of differences, and this had subsequently led to differences between him and Sangeeta.

The New Indian Express, citing an undated video, reported that Sangeeta alleged denial of property rights and accused unnamed family members of destroying her family. Police were examining the video to identify the individuals she referred to, the outlet reported. The same report noted that family tensions had persisted since the death of the couple’s eldest son from an illness about six years ago, and that Murlidhar, a driver, had lived away from home for months due to domestic disputes, returning just two days before the tragedy.

The Times of India, however, reported that the elder son, Kapil, had died of illness about a decade ago at age 10, making Kunal the only child. The discrepancy remained unreconciled.

The New Indian Express also reported that Kunal had attempted suicide at the same hill a year earlier but was persuaded back by police. The Times of India confirmed this, quoting constable Suresh Bhise, who responded to both incidents and said, “This year there was something else.”

A Mother’s Plea and a Close Bond

Witnesses told The Times of India that Sangeeta repeatedly pleaded with her son to step away from the edge, and at one point reportedly offered to leave her husband and stay with him. Police said Kunal appeared to be responding to counselling before his father returned and tried to pull him away, leading to the fatal fall. The Times of India also reported that two other videos of Kunal and Sangeeta had surfaced, showing a close bond—Kunal having tea with his mother in one, and washing her feet and seeking her blessings in another.

Police Investigation and Helplines

The police were also checking whether the iPhones used by Kunal and Sangeeta had been purchased on EMI and whether repayment issues played a role, The Times of India reported. The New Indian Express said the old video had prompted investigators to examine whether years of family conflict and property-related tensions contributed to the tragedy.

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