• Source:JND

In a tragic incident, an Indian-origin couple and their nine-year-old son died after falling from the balcony of their 36th-floor apartment in a luxury residential building in London on May 27.

Emergency services rushed to the scene at the 46-storey building in south London after witnesses reported people falling from a height. Paramedics attempted to treat the victims, but Rakesh Pai, 47, his wife Aditi Paralkar, 46, and their son Sid were pronounced dead at the scene.

London police have launched an investigation, describing the incident as an "unexpected" death, according to the Telegraph.

Child Had Serious Health Issues

The family had been living on the 36th floor, and local MP Neil Coyle suggested that Sid’s serious health conditions might have influenced what he called a "horrendous decision."

"It's a terrible tragedy, a family of three. Just awful. Some constituents saw it happen. The suggestion was that the child was born in the UK with severe illnesses, which the police inferred contributed to their horrendous decision," Coyle wrote in a letter to residents.

Friends called the couple as Adi and Robin. They worked in finance and construction consulting. The family had traveled to India in 2020 seeking treatment for Sid but returned to the UK in 2025 after his condition failed to improve.

However, some friends have questioned the suggestion that the deaths were a murder-suicide.

"None of this makes sense to us, because while it was obvious that Adi was struggling, Robin was the composed one of the two. He was actually handling things quite well given Sid's illness and the pressure they were all under," one friend told the Telegraph.

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Another person close to the family said that caring for Sid had placed "a huge toll" on Aditi's mental health. A neighbour reported hearing "shouting and screaming" from the family’s apartment in the weeks before the tragedy.

A police spokesperson stated, "Their deaths are currently being treated as unexpected. There were no other reported injuries. Work is underway to formally identify those who died. Their next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by specialist officers."

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The official causes of death will be confirmed during an inquest, the date of which has not yet been set.


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