PUBG to face a nationwide ban? Suicide in Hyderabad sparks a massive debate

A boy’s suicide in India after his mother scolded him for playing the popular online game PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds (PUBG) has sparked a nationwide debate whether the online multiplayer game should be banned. Earlier, there were reports that the 16-year-old’s father demanded a ban on PUBG after the suicide following a reprimand for gaming online rather than studying for an English exam.

What's the issue?

Earlier this week, a class X student in Hyderabad ended his life after his mother scolded him for playing PUBG. According to the police, the boy was addicted to playing PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) on his parents' mobile phone The boy's mother "scolded" him for playing PUBG during exams after which he went into the bedroom and bolted the door from inside and hanged himself from the ceiling fan using a towel.

In spite of repeated knocks, there was no response. So, the boy's parents broke open the door only to find him hanging. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where Doctor declared him dead on arrival. The case was registered under Section 174 of the Code Of Criminal Procedure.

READ | After PUBG addiction claimed a teenager's life in India, psychiatrists have something to say

State of PUBG in India

PUBG is a survival battle game developed by a South Korean company in which players are dropped onto an island and have to eliminate each other. Since its launch in 2017, it has garnered a huge global following. A few cities in the central Indian state of Gujarat have already banned the game. Two dozen young people have been arrested.

Of late, PUBG is facing intense criticism due to many such shocking incidents that have come to limelight while any experts have labelled the game as addictive and violent in nature. And clearly, this is not the first case of PUBG addiction that has claimed someone's life. Previously, an 18-year-old teenager in Mumbai committed suicide after his parents refused to buy him a new mobile phone to play PUBG.

Last month, two men engrossed in playing PUBG Mobile were found dead near the railway tracks they were crushed under a running train.

(With AP inputs)