Daijiworld Media Network – Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Aug 4: A 16-year-old boy tragically ended his life by jumping off a hill in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar on Sunday after his mother refused to buy him a mobile phone.

The deceased, identified as Atharva Gopal Tayde, had reportedly been requesting his mother for a phone for several days. Despite repeated refusals, he once again asked her on Sunday. When she denied the request, Atharva went to a hill in Tisgaon and jumped. Local residents rushed him to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.

Police said Atharva was preparing for the police recruitment exam.

This heartbreaking incident mirrors similar tragedies across Maharashtra. Last year, a 15-year-old boy, Vishwajeet Ramesh Chamdanwale, died by suicide in a similar situation after being denied a phone on his birthday. In another case from Navi Mumbai, an 18-year-old ended his life after his father did not buy him a high-end iPhone, gifting a budget phone instead.

These recurring incidents have raised serious concerns about digital dependency, mental health awareness, and parental communication in the digital age.