'Kunal Wanted His Parents Together': Family Claims After Maharashtra Hill Tragedy

Nineteen-year-old Kunal Chandgude’s relatives have claimed that he wanted his estranged parents to reconcile before he died in a tragic fall from a hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Kunal wanted his parents to reconcile, relatives claim after Maharashtra suicide tragedy

A 19-year-old student who died along with his parents after falling from a hill in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar reportedly wanted to see his parents together, according to his relatives.

The claim has emerged as police and fire brigade officials reconstruct the events that unfolded during a rescue operation at Khuwadiya hill on Monday, , according to a report by India Today.

The teenager, Kunal Chandgude, had reportedly left home at around 8 am for his classes. He did not reach his institute, and when his absence was noticed, his mother Sangeeta was contacted.

His location was subsequently traced to Khuwadiya hill, where villagers alerted the police.

🇮🇳 19-year-old Kunal Chandgude was so distraught after an argument with his family he jumped from Khavdya Hill, India, into a quarry

His father tried to grab him, but was pulled over the edge with him when he fell

His mother was so shocked she jumped to her death seconds later…

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 21, 2026

A tragic incident occurred at Khavdya Hill. 18-year-old Kunal Murlidhar Chandvade from Tisgaon in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar died after falling from the hill along with his parents.
This heartbreaking incident has left an entire family devastated, with tragedy striking within… https://t.co/55Gr1V8CKo pic.twitter.com/ra3UtM6m5H

— आकाश संजय दाभाडे (@AkashDabhadePa1) August 24, 2026

BARU: 

Rekaman mengejutkan dari Maharashtra, India, menunjukkan tragedi keluarga yang terungkap setelah pertengkaran terkait ponsel.

Perselisihan itu dilaporkan bermula ketika Kunal Chandgude berusia 18 tahun menuntut ponsel baru. pic.twitter.com/G2LgofPjju

— KEBUMEN IN LOVE 💕 (@KEBUMENinLOVE) August 24, 2026

According to police, Kunal was at the top of the hill when rescuers arrived. He repeatedly changed his position as family members, police personnel and fire brigade officials attempted to persuade him to come down.

The rescue effort, however, ended in tragedy.

Father fell while trying to reach son

Police said Kunal’s father, Murlidhar, eventually approached him and tried to hold his hand.

During the attempt, the two reportedly lost their balance and fell around 300 feet into the rocky terrain below.

Seconds later, Sangeeta also jumped from the hill after seeing her husband and son fall, according to police.

The three were subsequently taken to Ghati Hospital for post-mortem examinations.

A fire brigade employee also suffered minor injuries during the rescue operation.

The circumstances surrounding Kunal’s presence on the hill and the events that led to the fatal fall remain under investigation.

Family says Kunal wanted his parents together

Kunal’s relatives have now offered an account of what they believe may have been weighing on the teenager.

Members of Sangeeta’s maternal family said there had been differences between Kunal’s parents for some time. They referred to disputes within the family, including tensions linked to property.

According to them, Kunal wanted his parents to resolve their differences and remain together.

The relatives described him as a bright student with ambitions of becoming a doctor. They said he had scored 82 per cent in his Class 10 CBSE examination and wanted to pursue an MBBS degree, the India Today report added.

The family’s claim provides a different perspective on the circumstances preceding the tragedy, although police have yet to establish what exactly prompted Kunal to go to the hill.

Father’s family gives a different account

Murlidhar’s sister, Shobha Rajendra Maske, offered a different account of the couple’s relationship.

She said Murlidhar and Sangeeta had a love marriage around 22 years ago. According to her, Murlidhar’s parents had opposed the marriage and did not attend the wedding.

She claimed that relations between Murlidhar and his family remained strained after the marriage.

Shobha also spoke about differences between Murlidhar and Sangeeta that had continued over the years.

The differing accounts from the two sides of the family have added another layer to the police investigation into the tragedy.

Neighbours saw no obvious signs of trouble

Despite the relatives’ accounts of family differences, people who knew the Chandgudes said they had not noticed anything obviously unusual in their everyday lives.

Aditya Deshpande, caretaker of the house where the family had been living, said they moved into the rented property around four months ago.

He described them as well-behaved and said Kunal generally kept to himself.

Murlidhar’s colleagues also remembered him as a quiet and disciplined man.

Pawan Otambe, manager at Chaudhary Transport, said Murlidhar had worked there as a driver for around 10 years. He said there had been no complaints against him during that period.

Neighbours also described Kunal as academically strong and said he had ambitions of studying medicine.

How the rescue operation turned fatal

According to the sequence reconstructed by police and fire brigade officials, Kunal left home at around 8 am on Monday.

When he failed to arrive at his institute by about 9.10 am, the institute contacted his mother.

His location was traced to the hill between approximately 10 am and 10.30 am. Villagers then alerted police at around 10.45 am.

The fire brigade was called at approximately 11.30 am.

When rescuers reached the hilltop, Kunal was reportedly moving from one position to another. Officials tried to speak to him and persuade him to come down safely.

As a precaution, a safety net was placed below.

It was during this operation that Murlidhar approached his son.

Police said he tried to grab Kunal’s hand, but both lost their balance and fell from the hill.

Sangeeta then jumped moments later after witnessing the fall.

The three suffered fatal injuries.

Their bodies were brought to Ghati Hospital at around 2.30 pm for post-mortem examinations.

Pet dog Sheru left waiting at home

The tragedy also left behind the family’s pet dog, Sheru.

Neighbours reportedly discovered that the dog had remained locked inside the house for two days after the deaths. They provided food and water while efforts were made to find help for the animal.

A pet animal welfare group later rescued Sheru and moved him to a municipal shelter.

The group has appealed to an animal-loving family to adopt him and provide him with a permanent home.

Investigation continues

The claims about Kunal wanting his parents to reconcile have emerged as investigators continue examining what happened before he reached Khuwadiya hill.

Police are reconstructing the sequence of events using accounts from relatives, neighbours, villagers, rescuers and others familiar with the family.

The accounts also highlight the conflicting descriptions of the Chandgudes' family life. While relatives have spoken about longstanding differences between Kunal’s parents, neighbours and Murlidhar’s colleagues said they had not observed anything that suggested serious trouble.

What prompted Kunal to go to the hill, what happened after he reached the top and what exactly led to the fatal rescue attempt remain key questions for investigators.

The tragedy has left the family’s relatives and neighbours mourning three deaths, while their pet dog Sheru waits for a new home.