A 40-year-old man and his 11-year-old son died after falling from the 23rd floor of a residential tower at Mahagun Mywoods Society in Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh’s Gautam Buddha district, on Friday, while reportedly plucking flowers for a puja, police said.

The incident took place in the Bisrakh police station area and triggered panic in the residential society, leaving the family devastated.

According to preliminary information, the father, identified as Randeep Patra, son of Amal Kumar Patra, and his son, Aarav, had gone to the balcony to pluck flowers for the morning puja.

During the process, the child slipped and fell from the balcony. The father reportedly attempted to save him but lost his balance and fell from the 23rd floor as well.

According to police, the Bisrakh police station received information through a Police Response Vehicle (PRV) on Friday about two people falling from a height at Tower 23 of Mahagun Mywoods Society.

A police team immediately reached the spot and found the father and son critically injured. They were rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead.

During the preliminary inquiry, the deceased man’s wife told the police that she had to leave early on Friday morning to visit the Khatu Shyam Temple. Her husband and son had gone to the balcony to collect flowers for the morning puja before her departure.

Initial information suggests that the child slipped while collecting flowers and was left hanging from the balcony, prompting his father to intervene. However, the father also lost his balance, causing both to fall.

Police said the exact circumstances leading to the incident would be established after a detailed investigation. All aspects of the case are being examined.

After completing the necessary inquest proceedings, the police initiated the process of sending the bodies for post-mortem examination.

Further legal proceedings are underway.

The Delhi Police on Thursday lodged a First Information Report (FIR) against unknown persons in connection with an incident involving vandalism and damage to property at the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), officials said.

According to the police, the case has been registered at Jamia Nagar Police Station, on the complaint of the varsity administration.

This is the second FIR registered in connection with the ongoing students’ protests at the university in recent days.

Earlier, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR at the Jamia Nagar police station against Congress MPs Imran Pratapgarhi and Imran Masood, as well as Samajwadi Party MP Mohibbullah Nadvi, following a complaint by Jamia Millia Islamia registrar Md. Mahtab Alam Rizvi.

Rizvi had alleged that the Congress MPs entered the campus without authorisation on separate occasions, amid the ongoing agitation.

Students of the university have been staging a hunger strike since October 12 demanding the restoration of the Jamia Millia Islamia Students’ Union (JMISU) and the removal of the University’s Chief Proctor over a “crackdown” on protesters.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the university expressed deep shock, disappointment, and concern regarding the incidents that took place on Tuesday night, which involved vandalism and damage to university property.

The varsity said that upon receiving reports of attacks on the campus, the proctorial team and JMI faculty members immediately arrived on the spot.

“They discovered that groups of protesting students and local residents had vandalised University gates and walls, brought down Gate No. 4C, pelted stones, and damaged the CCTV control room and cameras, while also severing their connections. It is reported that a group of masked protesters even reached the University’s boys’ hostel in an attempt to mobilise more individuals to join them,” the JMI said in a statement.

According to the University, viral social media videos posted by the protesting students themselves show extensive damage inflicted upon JMI property.

“This has left the university community deeply distressed and outraged,” it said.

“Most concerning is the fact that the vandalism began shortly after members of the protesting student committee had been in discussions with JMI faculty (this marked the seventh such attempt at dialogue initiated by the university administration),” the University said.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday carried out searches at multiple locations in Pune in connection with an alleged bank fraud case involving M/s Aaj Ka Anand Papers Pvt Ltd, an official statement said.

The agency recently registered a case against the company, its directors and unknown public servants based on a complaint filed by the State Bank of India (SBI), Mumbai.

The complaint alleges criminal conspiracy, cheating, criminal breach of trust, and manipulation of accounts, resulting in a wrongful loss of Rs 81.66 crore to the bank.

According to the CBI, the accused allegedly suppressed and misappropriated business revenues, altered and falsified books of accounts and electronic records, and diverted funds in violation of lending conditions.

Investigators suspect that substantial amounts were routed through current accounts maintained outside the designated banking channels without obtaining the consent of consortium lenders.

The agency said the alleged diversion of funds and unauthorised transactions amounted to cheating, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and criminal conspiracy, causing significant financial loss to SBI.

As part of the ongoing probe, CBI teams searched several premises linked to the company and its directors. The searches covered both office establishments and residential properties associated with the accused persons.

During the operation, investigators recovered documents and digital evidence that are believed to be relevant to the case. The seized material is being examined to ascertain the full extent of the alleged fraud, including the suspected diversion and misappropriation of funds, as well as the involvement of other individuals who may have played a role in the conspiracy.

The CBI said the evidence collected during the searches would help investigators trace the flow of funds and determine whether there were any violations of banking norms and sanction conditions imposed by the lending institutions.

Further investigation in the case is underway, the agency added.