A 40-year-old man and his 11-year-old son died after falling from the balcony of their 23rd-floor flat at Mahagun Mywoods Society in Greater Noida West early on Friday, police said. The incident took place in Gaur City 2 under the jurisdiction of the Bisrakh police station.
The victims were identified as Randeep Patra and his son Aarav. According to police, the two fell onto the rooftop of the society’s clubhouse, located at approximately the level of the second floor. A police control-room call reporting the incident was received at around 4 am.
Deputy Commissioner of Police Dr Pravin Ranjan Singh said the family’s account indicated that the father and son had gone to the balcony to pluck flowers for a religious ritual before leaving home. The Indian Express reported that police were told the family had planned to travel early in the morning, while the precise purpose of the outing was described differently in the source report and the police account.
A police officer quoted by the newspaper said the family regularly used aparajita flowers for rituals. The climber was reportedly growing near a corner of the balcony and above the balcony wall. Aarav is said to have taken a ladder to reach the flowers, lost his balance and fallen. Randeep, who was nearby, allegedly tried to catch him, resulting in both falling from the balcony, the officer said.
The Gautam Buddh Nagar Police Commissionerate said on social media that officers reached the society after receiving information through the police response vehicle. The two victims were found seriously injured and were taken to a hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Police said the bodies were being sent for post-mortem examination after the inquest proceedings.
The incident has brought another fatal fall from a high-rise residential unit under scrutiny, although police have not announced any allegation of negligence or wrongdoing. No complaint had been filed with the police at the time of the report, and officers said further legal proceedings were underway.
Randeep and his wife were central government employees, according to the report. The family was originally from Kolkata. The police investigation is expected to establish the circumstances of the fall through the inquest and post-mortem process. Authorities had not announced any additional action concerning the society or its balcony safety arrangements by the time of publication.
