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Mobile Phone Dispute Or Family Feud? Police Probe Death Of Teen, Parents In Maharashtra
A family of three died after falling from a hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, with police investigating a possible mobile phone dispute, family tensions, and property issues. Relatives have disputed some early narratives, while new accounts point to long-standing marital and land conflicts.
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Tragedy: Probe into Three Deaths Examines Phone Dispute, Family Feud
Authorities in Maharashtra are investigating the deaths of a family of three who fell from a hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, with multiple possible factors—including a mobile phone dispute, family tensions, and a property row—under scrutiny. The incident occurred on August 21, when 18-year-old Kunal Chandgude, his father Murlidhar, and mother Sangeeta fell into a deep gorge at Khawalya Hill (also referred to as Khavdya Hill). Police have said no definitive cause has been established.
The Incident and Immediate Response
According to multiple accounts, Kunal went to the hill intending to die by suicide. His parents followed in an attempt to save him. At the scene, Kunal stood near the edge of the cliff, with his mother desperately pleading with him. In one video, Kunal is heard saying, "Mom, no one listens to me. I have no interest in living. There is no solution for my life; nothing is going to get better." His father approached him and tried to grab his hand; both lost their balance and fell nearly 300 feet (other reports said the gorge was 250 feet deep). Sangeeta then jumped after witnessing them fall. All three died at the spot.
Police and fire brigade personnel had been called to the scene. A safety net was placed as a precaution, and a fire brigade employee suffered minor injuries during the operation. The bodies were brought to Ghati Hospital around 2:30 pm.
The Mobile Phone Angle and a Relative's Rebuttal
One early account suggested that Kunal had purchased an iPhone on EMI but was unable to pay the instalments. An argument reportedly followed between him and his father, after which Kunal left for the cliff at around 10 am. However, this narrative has been disputed. Pallavi Patil, Sangeeta's sister, called the iPhone-EMI story a "rumour" and said that people spreading such information "know nothing" about the family. In a video message, she said, "Sangita Chandgude, Kunal Chandgude, and Murlidhar Chandgude... they were none other than... my elder sister, my sister's son, and my brother-in-law. Only we know the state we are in after losing the three of them today." She urged people not to spread rumours and said that her social media feed was filled with misinformation. "The things you are saying are causing us immense pain," she added.
Police have noted that the mobile phone issue is being considered a primary angle but have stressed that no definitive cause has been established. Investigators are also examining the social media activity of Sangeeta, who had a YouTube channel with more than 29,000 subscribers.
Family Discord and Property Disputes Emerge
Several reports have highlighted long-standing tensions within the family. Sangeeta and Murlidhar had a love marriage about 20 to 22 years ago, which was opposed by Murlidhar's parents, who did not attend the wedding. Murlidhar's sister, Shobha Rajendra Maske, said relations between Murlidhar and his family remained strained after the marriage. She also alleged that Sangeeta had thrown Murlidhar out of the house while verbally abusing him, a claim that Murlidhar reportedly shared with her.
The couple lost their elder son to an illness six years ago, which sources say deepened existing strains. Murlidhar, who worked as a driver, was often away from home for months. He had returned two days before the incident, and arguments reportedly broke out. According to Shobha, Murlidhar had been living separately from his wife and son for a month, though he still bore expenses for Kunal's tuition, mobile charges, and house rent.
Property disputes also appear to have played a role. Villagers said Murlidhar's father transferred about three acres of ancestral land to him, angering his three sisters, who demanded a split. The conflict reportedly caused friction between Murlidhar and Sangeeta. In a video posted on her YouTube channel, Sangeeta accused someone of denying her and her son property rights and said, "You took away my and my son's rights to the property. You never allowed my brothers and parents to live together. You destroyed my happy family. You poisoned my family. You separated my son from his parents. Your next seven generations will suffer. This is my curse." Police are investigating the identity of the person Sangeeta referred to in the video.
Kunal's Struggles and a Prior Attempt
Kunal's relatives described him as a bright student who scored 82% in his Class 10 CBSE examination and wanted to pursue MBBS. However, they said the family discord affected his mental health. Villagers said Kunal suffered from depression. It also emerged that Kunal had attempted suicide at the same hill a year earlier and was rescued by police.
On the day of the incident, Kunal left home at around 8 am for his classes. When he did not arrive, his institute contacted his mother at 9:10 am. His location was traced to the hill between 10 and 10:30 am. Villagers alerted police at around 10:45 am, and the fire brigade was called at 11:30 am.
Aftermath: Separate Cremations, Joint Ashes
Following the post-mortems, the last rites were not performed together. Sangeeta and Kunal were cremated at Mukundawadi crematorium, while Murlidhar's body was taken to his native village, Dhangar Pimpalgaon. An altercation broke out between relatives from both sides at Ghati Hospital, which may have complicated the arrangements. However, on Sunday, relatives from both families travelled to Paithan and immersed the ashes together in the Godavari River.
In a separate development, the family's pet dog, Sheru, was left locked in the house for two days. Neighbours fed him, and an animal welfare group rescued him and moved him to a municipal shelter.
Investigation Ongoing
Police are examining the family's background, social media posts, and the circumstances leading up to the incident. Senior officials have said they are considering multiple angles, including the mobile phone dispute, family tensions, and property issues, but have not yet reached a conclusion.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, please reach out to a mental health helpline or a local support service.
How each outlet told it
Free Press Journal
Framing: Headline emphasizes relative dismissing iPhone EMI narrative as rumour, focusing on the rejection of that theory. It leaves out other possible causes like family tensions or property disputes. — Measured; the tone is factual and objective, but it also conveys the family's distress. Example quote: 'The things you are saying are causing us immense pain.'
Facts Included:
Family of three died in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on August 21
Initial narrative linked to iPhone purchased on EMI by 18-year-old Kunal Chandgude
Relative Pallavi Patil rejected iPhone-EMI narrative as rumour
Pallavi Patil recorded video message after collecting ashes
Quote from Pallavi Patil: 'Sangita Chandgude, Kunal Chandgude, and Murlidhar Chandgude... they were none other than... my elder sister, my sister's son, and my brother-in-law.'
Pallavi urged people not to spread rumours
Pallavi said social media feed filled with misinformation
Murlidhar worked as truck driver, Sangita was homemaker
Couple lost elder son to illness six years ago
Murlidhar returned home two days before incident after being out of town for three months
Sangita had YouTube channel with more than 29,000 subscribers
Police examining video posted by Sangita with alleged property dispute and 'poison' comments
Kunal had visited same hill a year earlier with intention to die by suicide and was rescued
iPhone EMI remains only one of the reported factors, not established cause
Framing: Headline emphasizes the twist that renewed family contact after 17 years led to a rift, shifting focus from the mobile phone to a long-standing family estrangement. — Descriptive; the tone is factual and narrative, presenting new information from a family member. It does not express emotion but relays events.
Facts Included:
Deaths of Chandwade couple and 19-year-old son after falling from Khawalya mountain last Friday
Revealed that mobile phone was not the only reason; dispute over Muralidhar's renewed contact with parents and sisters after 17 years also played role
Muralidhar had been in contact with parents and sisters for past four months, causing differences with wife Sangeeta and son Kunal
Framing: Headline mentions both iPhone and family dispute as possible drivers, presenting a dual-cause framing. It includes the age of the boy (19) and the location. — Sympathetic; the tone is poignant and includes quotes from Kunal's final moments, like 'Mom, no one listens to me.' It conveys the emotional weight of the tragedy. Also includes a mental health helpline.
Facts Included:
19-year-old Kunal Chandgude jumped from cliff in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar last week
Desire to own iPhone may not have been the only factor; family tensions and strained relations between parents may have contributed
Incident was Kunal's second suicide attempt at same location; he tried last year and was persuaded to abandon
Father Murlidhar fell into 250-foot-deep gorge attempting to save son; mother Sangeeta jumped after witnessing
All three died at the spot
Tensions began after couple lost elder son to illness six years ago
Murlidhar worked as driver and remained away for months at a time
He returned home two days before the incident, arguments broke out
Police said Kunal purchased iPhone but couldn't pay instalments; argument followed, Kunal left for cliff at around 10 am
Videos showed Kunal standing close to edge, mother trying to convince him
Kunal said 'Mom, no one listens to me. I have no interest in living...'
Some people offered to buy him an iPhone
Murlidhar grabbed Kunal's hand, both lost balance and fell
Sangeeta jumped and died by suicide
Sangeeta's YouTube channel with more than 29,000 subscribers
Recent video quote: 'You took away my and my son's rights over property... your next seven generations will suffer. This is my curse.'
Police investigating identity of person Sangeeta referred to
Framing: Headline emphasizes a family claim that Kunal wanted his parents together, framing the tragedy in terms of family reconciliation rather than blame. It leaves out the iPhone and other possible causes. — Sympathetic; the tone is emotional and humanizing, including details like Kunal's academic dreams and the pet dog. Quote: 'Kunal wanted to see them together.'
Facts Included:
Chandgude family had differences between parents; Kunal wanted to see them together
Police and fire brigade reconstructed chain of events
Kunal, father Murlidhar, and mother Sangeeta died after falling from hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Kunal went to hill on Monday morning
Kunal repeatedly changed position as family, police, fire brigade tried to persuade him
Father approached him, tried to hold his hand, both lost balance and fell nearly 300 feet
Sangeeta jumped after witnessing
Sangeeta's maternal family said disputes over property affected family; Kunal wanted parents to reconcile
Kunal described as bright student with 82% in Class 10 CBSE, wanted to pursue MBBS
Father's sister Shobha Rajendra Maske said love marriage around 22 years ago, parents opposed and did not attend wedding
Relations between Murlidhar and family remained strained
Neighbours noticed nothing unusual; caretaker Aditya Deshpande said family moved in four months ago, Kunal kept to himself
Murlidhar's colleague Pawan Otambe said he worked as driver for 10 years, no complaints
Kunal left home at 8 am for classes; institute contacted mother at 9.10 am; location traced to hill 10-10.30 am; villagers alerted police 10.45 am; fire brigade called 11.30 am
Safety net placed as precaution
Fire brigade employee suffered minor injuries
Bodies brought to Ghati Hospital around 2.30 pm
Pet dog Sheru left locked in house for two days, neighbours fed him, animal welfare group rescued him, moved to municipal shelter
Framing: Headline emphasizes that the cause was not iPhone but parental marital dispute over land. It leaves out any mention of the iPhone theory entirely, setting up an alternative explanation. — Analytical; the tone is investigative and explanatory. It quotes villagers and social media posts to build a case for family discord.
Facts Included:
18-year-old Kunal Changude and family died by suicide after falling from 250-foot-deep gorge at Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
Sangeeta made social media posts, some motivational, some targeted at family
In one video she says, 'You have poisoned my happy family.' without naming anyone
Full quote: 'You took away my and my son's rights to the property. You never allowed my brothers and parents to live together. You destroyed my happy family. You poisoned my family. You separated my son from his parents. Your next seven generations will suffer. This is my curse.'
Last rites of family were not performed together; Sangeeta and Kunal cremated at Mukundawadi, Murlidhar's body taken to native village Dhangar Pimpalgaon
Villagers said family had deep feud; Murlidhar married Sangeeta on his own about 20 years ago, causing tensions
Murlidhar's father transferred about three acres of ancestral land to him, angering three sisters, led to land split and conflict
Villagers said constant fighting affected Kunal's mental health; he suffered from depression
Sangeeta and Kunal stopped visiting ancestral village
Murlidhar was a driver, frequently visited parents and had visited 15 days before deaths
Older son died of illness a few years ago, creating further split
Kunal did not have cordial relationship with father
Police investigating whether constant conflict and father's prolonged absence added to Kunal's mental stress
Kunal had attempted suicide last year, was rescued
On Friday, teen jumped, father tried to pull him back, mother jumped after seeing them fall
Framing: Headline poses a question about whether the cause was mobile phone dispute or family feud, presenting it as an open investigation. — Neutral; the tone is straightforward reporting of police investigation, with no emotional color. It's cautious and provisional.
Facts Included:
19-year-old boy and parents died after falling into deep gorge at Khavdya Hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Friday
Police investigating multiple possible reasons: mobile phone dispute, family tensions, property row
Teenager had gone towards hill intending to die by suicide
Parents followed to save him, all three fell
Dispute over mobile phone emerged as one possible reason but not established
Investigators examining social media activity of mother Sangeeta Chandgude
In one video, Chandgude speaks about relationships and lack of mutual respect
Another video references alleged property disputes and family tensions
Chandgude claims she and son denied rights, property disputes caused rift
Video featuring Chandgude and son widely circulated
Senior police officials said mobile phone issue considered primary angle but no definitive cause established
Police examining family background, social media posts
Each row is one claim, attributed to the outlet whose wording states it most clearly. Confidence rates how directly the source text states the claim — explicit and unhedged rates high; hedged, pieced-together, or internally inconsistent statements rate lower. It does not measure whether the claim is true. Status counts the distinct outlets we found asserting it — so a single-source claim can still show high confidence, and a multi-source claim can show medium. Every one of those outlets is named beside the status, so you can check the count against the list. For claims extracted before we began storing that list, the row says so: it names the outlet the claim is quoted from and states that we have not recorded which outlets backed it. Outlets wrote at different times, so a figure that evolves — a casualty count, for example — can legitimately differ between rows; check the "as of" time next to each claim's source.
Claim
Confidence
Status
ClaimA family of three died after falling from a hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra.
ClaimIn a video, Sangita Chandgude accused someone of denying her and her son property rights and of poisoning her family, and said 'your next seven generations will suffer. This is my curse.'
ClaimThe last rites of the family were not performed together; Sangeeta and Kunal were cremated at Mukundawadi, while Murlidhar's body was taken to his native village Dhangar Pimpalgaon.