A 16-year-old boy, Atharva Gopal Tayde, tragically jumped to his death from a hill in Tisgaon, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, on Sunday, after his mother refused to buy him a mobile phone.
Atharva, who was preparing for the police recruitment exam, had been persistently asking for a phone for several days. Despite repeated pleas, his mother continued to decline the request. On Sunday, after another refusal, Atharva left home, climbed the hill, and jumped off. Locals rushed him to a nearby hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival.
This incident highlights a disturbing trend, with similar cases being reported in Maharashtra over the past year. In one such case, a 15-year-old boy died by suicide after being denied a birthday phone. Another 18-year-old from Navi Mumbai took his life when his father bought him a lower-cost phone instead of an iPhone worth ₹1.5 lakh.
Authorities urge families to closely monitor emotional changes in teenagers and seek mental health support when necessary. The incident has once again sparked conversations around technology dependency, emotional resilience, and the importance of communication between parents and children.