19-year-old boy dies alongside parents after argument over new cellphone

A 19-year-old man and his parents died after he went to a hilltop in India following an argument over payment for a new cellphone, with his parents and emergency responders spending hours trying to convince him to move away from the edge of a cliff.

The incident happened on Friday, August 21, at Khawadya Hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, India. According to reports cited by PEOPLE, Kunal Chandgude went to the hill at around 10 a.m. local time after allegedly arguing with his parents about a payment connected to a cellphone he had recently purchased.

Kunal's parents, Murlidhar, 48, and Sangita, followed him after he reportedly threatened to jump from the cliff. Police and fire personnel also arrived and spent approximately three hours trying to persuade him to come down.

Witness Sanjay Jadhav told NDTV that Kunal remained at the edge despite repeated attempts by his parents and police to convince him to move to safety. His mother was reportedly among those pleading with him not to jump.

At around 1 pm, Kunal allegedly jumped from the cliff. His father moved towards him in an apparent attempt to save him but also fell to his death. Sangita then reportedly jumped after seeing her husband and son fall.

Police recovered all three bodies and sent them for post-mortem examinations.

The tragedy came amid reports that the family had already experienced significant loss. According to NDTV, Kunal's parents had been living separately after their eldest son died from an illness approximately six years ago.

Sangita was also active on YouTube, where she had more than 30,000 subscribers and regularly posted videos featuring her son. The day before the incident, she reportedly uploaded a video in which she expressed emotional distress and said there was "no point in doing anything for a person who does not value love," according to NDTV.

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar City Police had not immediately responded to People's request for comment at the time of publication.

The deaths remain under investigation, with authorities working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.