The death of a family of three in Maharashtra’s Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on August 21 was initially linked to an iPhone purchased on EMI, but a relative of the family has dismissed the claim as a “rumour”, saying the financial issue was not the sole trigger behind the incident.
According to the initial narrative, 18-year-old Kunal Chandgude had purchased an Apple iPhone on EMI but was reportedly unable to pay the monthly instalments and sought help from his parents. Kunal allegedly threatened to jump from a hill and subsequently fell into a 250-foot-deep gorge along with his father, Murlidhar Chandgude, who was reportedly attempting to bring him back. His mother, Sangita Chandgude, then reportedly jumped from the cliff.
Relative rejects iPhone narrative
However, Sangita’s sister, Pallavi Patil, has rejected the iPhone-EMI narrative as a 'rumour', claiming that people spreading such information 'know nothing' about the family or the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Patil, who was returning home after collecting the ashes of the family members, recorded a video message describing the emotional state of the family.
“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 said, as reported by NDTV.
Patil urged people not to spread rumours that Kunal had driven his family to their deaths because of an iPhone. “The things you are saying are causing us immense pain,” she said.
Family distressed by online claims
She also claimed that her social media feed was filled with misinformation about the family's deaths.
“You have expressed your opinions through these videos, but you know nothing. You don't know us, and you are unaware of the truth behind any of this. And yet you continue to spread a false narrative. Do you realise how much pain these videos are causing my parents?” she said.
Patil further said that Sangita was the eldest daughter in the family and that her sudden death, along with those of her son and husband, had left the family struggling to cope. She also said that her 75-year-old parents were finding it difficult to deal with the situation amid the rumours.
Reports point to family tensions
According to reports, Murlidhar worked as a truck driver, while Sangita was a homemaker. The couple had reportedly lost their elder son to an illness six years ago. Following the death, the couple's relationship reportedly deteriorated, with Murlidhar immersing himself in work and sometimes remaining away from home for several months.
Reports further stated that Murlidhar had been out of town for around three months and returned home two days before the incident.
Police examine Sangita’s videos
Meanwhile, the police investigation has also brought attention to videos posted by Sangita. Reports state that she was active on YouTube, where she had more than 29,000 subscribers, and frequently posted videos featuring her son.
Police are reportedly examining a video that Sangita posted shortly before the incident, in which she allegedly spoke about a strained relationship and property-related disputes. In the video, she allegedly accused someone of denying her and her son their “rightful due” over property and preventing family members from staying together.
She further allegedly said that the “poison” injected into her family and the actions that drove her son away from his parents would have consequences for generations.
Police are examining the video to understand whether it contains any clues about the circumstances leading up to the deaths.
In another video, Sangita was reportedly seen discussing relationships and their values.
Previous incident under scrutiny
Meanwhile, reports have further revealed that Kunal had visited the same hill a year earlier with an intention to die by suicide. Police had reportedly managed to convince him to abandon the attempt and brought him back safely.
Meanwhile, as the police investigation is ongoing, the iPhone EMI remains only one of the reported factors rather than an established cause of the deaths. With further details into the matter awaited.
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