A 13-year-old boy from Mohanlalganj, Lucknow, died by suicide after losing Rs 14 lakh from his father’s bank account in an online game. Shocked by the loss, the Class 6 student hanged himself. Police have ordered a post-mortem.
The teenage boy spent nearly a year confined to his room, immersed in online gaming for up to 12 hours daily. Over time, he lost interest in physical activity and academics, eventually withdrawing from social interaction altogether. His growing addiction to gaming led to a severe spinal curvature, causing difficulty in walking and urinating.
A preliminary investigation revealed that accused Surjyakant Sethy was annoyed with his parents and sister for "opposing him playing online games on his mobile phone"
Estimates put forward by different studies and research papers have indicated that in India, anywhere between 1.3 per cent and 19.9 per cent of adolescents are suffering from gaming addiction.
