The tragic deaths of a teenager and his parents at Khavda Hill in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar have taken a new turn, with a close relative rejecting the widely circulated claim that an iPhone purchased on EMI was the sole reason behind the incident.

The 21 August tragedy initially drew attention after 18-year-old Kunal Chandgude reportedly went to the hill following an argument with his parents over a mobile phone and threatened to end his life. His father, Murlidhar Chandgude, attempted to bring him to safety but fell with him. His mother, Sangita Chandgude, also died in the aftermath.

As videos of the incident spread across social media, a simplified narrative quickly took hold: a young man wanted an iPhone, could not manage its instalments and, following an argument with his parents, took the drastic step that ultimately resulted in the deaths of all three family members.

However, details that have emerged since then suggest the circumstances may have been considerably more complicated.

Relative rejects iPhone EMI narrative

Pallavi Patil, Sangita Chandgude’s sister, has publicly objected to claims portraying the deaths as a straightforward consequence of an iPhone EMI dispute.

In a video message recorded while she was returning after collecting the ashes of her sister, nephew and brother-in-law, Patil said the family was being forced to endure additional pain because of speculation circulating online. She described the iPhone explanation as a rumour and urged people not to create or share narratives about a family whose circumstances they did not know.

Patil also appealed to social media users to consider the relatives left behind before posting videos or commentary about the tragedy. She said her elderly parents, both around 75, were struggling to cope with the loss and could be deeply affected by what was being circulated online.

Her comments have added an important caveat to the initial account of the Maharashtra hill tragedy. While police have said that an iPhone purchased on instalments was involved in an argument between Kunal and his father, relatives have questioned whether that dispute should be treated as the definitive explanation for what happened.

Teen had reportedly attempted suicide at the same hill a year earlier

One of the most significant developments in the case is that Kunal had reportedly visited the same location about a year before the fatal incident with the intention of ending his life.

According to police sources cited in reports, officers had managed to persuade him to abandon the earlier attempt and return safely. The fact that a similar incident reportedly occurred again at the same location has prompted investigators to examine whether deeper personal or family issues were involved.

This earlier incident makes it difficult to view the latest tragedy solely through the lens of a disagreement over a phone or its instalments. Police are reportedly examining whether the financial dispute was one factor among several rather than the only trigger.

The distinction is significant. A single argument may explain what happened immediately before a crisis, but it does not necessarily explain the circumstances that led an individual to reach that point.

Family tensions emerge as another possible factor

Investigators are also looking into longstanding tensions within the family.

Kunal’s parents, Murlidhar and Sangita, had reportedly lost their elder son to illness around six years ago. Following that loss, their relationship is said to have become strained, with the couple living separately. Murlidhar, who worked as a driver, reportedly spent long periods away from home for work. He had returned home only two days before the tragedy after being away for several months, according to reports.

The father's return was reportedly followed by arguments within the household. Against this backdrop, the dispute involving Kunal's phone became another point of conflict.

Police are also examining social media posts and videos uploaded by Sangita that appear to indicate serious tensions within the family. In one video, she spoke about property-related disagreements, separation within the family and the breakdown of relationships. Investigators are attempting to establish the context and identify the people or circumstances to which she was referring.

Sangita was reportedly active on YouTube, where she had more than 29,000 subscribers and regularly posted videos involving her son. A video uploaded shortly before the tragedy also focused on relationships, mutual respect and the consequences of remaining in relationships where one side feels undervalued. Police are examining whether these posts provide any meaningful context to the events that followed.

What happened at Khavda Hill?

The incident unfolded on August 21 after Kunal reportedly went to Khavda Hill at around 10 am following an argument with his parents.

Police, fire service personnel, villagers and others at the location spent several hours trying to persuade him to move away from the dangerous area. Fire personnel reportedly attempted to deploy a safety net while those present continued efforts to convince him to return.

His parents were also present and tried to talk him out of harming himself. According to accounts of the incident, his mother pleaded with him while his father eventually moved closer in an effort to bring him back to safety.

The rescue attempt ended tragically when Kunal and his father fell from the hill. Sangita, who had witnessed what happened, also died shortly afterwards. The three deaths transformed what had begun as a prolonged rescue effort into one of the most disturbing tragedies reported from the region in recent days.

Videos recorded by people at the site subsequently circulated widely online, further intensifying public attention around the case.

Why the iPhone theory may be incomplete

The iPhone remains part of the police account of the events. Reports say Kunal had purchased a phone on EMI and had sought financial assistance from his parents to meet the instalment payments. An argument with his father over the payment reportedly preceded his decision to go to the hill.

But the emerging evidence points towards a more complicated picture.

The reported suicide attempt at the same location in 2025, the family's history of bereavement, strained parental relations, disputes within the household and Sangita's social media posts all raise questions about what Kunal may have been experiencing before the final incident.

None of these factors, individually or collectively, has yet been established as the definitive cause. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances, and some of the information circulating about the case has not been independently verified.

That uncertainty is particularly important in a case where social media commentary has already reduced a deeply complex family tragedy to a single headline-friendly explanation.

Social media speculation adds another layer of pain

The controversy surrounding the Maharashtra hill tragedy also highlights the speed with which unverified narratives can spread following a major incident.

Within hours of the deaths, videos and posts portraying the tragedy as an extreme reaction to an iPhone EMI dispute began circulating. Patil's public response suggests that the family believes these accounts have presented an incomplete or misleading picture of what happened.

For grieving relatives, the consequences can extend well beyond ordinary public scrutiny. Every speculative video can become another reminder of the tragedy, while a simplified explanation can permanently shape public perception of people who are no longer alive to explain their circumstances.

The police investigation therefore faces a difficult task: separating the immediate events surrounding the hilltop incident from the deeper circumstances that may have contributed to Kunal's distress.

Investigation now focuses on the larger picture

The Maharashtra hill tragedy is no longer being viewed simply as a dispute over a smartphone. While the iPhone EMI disagreement appears to have been part of the sequence of events, investigators are examining whether it was the sole trigger or merely the immediate flashpoint in a much longer story of personal and family difficulties.

The reported earlier attempt from the same cliff is particularly significant because it suggests that the teenager's distress may have preceded the latest disagreement.

At the same time, the family has strongly objected to conclusions being drawn before the investigation is complete. Patil's appeal is essentially a plea for restraint: the people discussing the tragedy online were not part of the family and, she argued, did not know the full circumstances surrounding the deaths.

As investigators piece together the events leading up to August 21, the case serves as a reminder that tragedies involving young people are rarely explained by one argument, one purchase or one moment alone. The final answer may lie in understanding the wider circumstances surrounding the teenager and his family — something that social media speculation cannot establish.

For now, the iPhone EMI remains one reported element of the investigation, not a confirmed explanation for the entire Maharashtra hill tragedy.

With input from agencies

Image Source: Multiple agencies

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