Teen Dies By Suicide Over Suspected Video Game Addiction

A 14-year-old boy in the Indian state of Maharashtra hanged himself in his bedroom over the weekend after his family prohibited him from playing a video game, which was later banned in the country.

The unnamed teen was found dead at his home in the Bhoiwada area of central Mumbai Sunday evening, The Times of India reported.

He was rushed to the hospital, but he was declared dead before admission, added the outlet.

The teen had allegedly called his father on the phone before taking his own life, but the latter could not answer it as he was riding a motorcycle.

An investigation into the incident was launched, and an accidental death report was filed, Bhoiwada police senior inspector Jitendra Pawar said, per the Hindustan Times.

It was revealed that the deceased, a class 7 student, was addicted to the free online mobile game "Garena Free Fire," which was banned by the Indian government Monday along with 53 other mobile apps that were mostly from China. The games were banned over their alleged risks to India's security.

Authorities discovered that the teen was prohibited by his family from completing a challenge in the game before he died, according to CNN-News18.

The teen’s parents and a school teacher claimed that he did not show any signs of being addicted to gaming, adding that he was a "studious" student, who was fond of cricket, noted Pawar.

"What exactly triggered him to take the extreme step is still a mystery," deputy commissioner of police Vijay Patil said.

The teen’s body was sent to King Edward Memorial in Mumbai, and authorities were looking into the possibility that his video game addiction might have resulted in his suicide.

As the deceased left no written notes, police were trying to identify his friends in "Garena Free Fire" to determine if anything happened to him while he played the game before his death.

Police have also sent the teen’s mobile phone to a forensic laboratory to retrieve all of its data, including his phone call details and internet browsing history.

However, details regarding the teen’s gaming activity will take time to arrive since the server for "Garena Free Fire" is located in Singapore, Patil explained.

If you have thoughts of suicide, confidential help is available for free at the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. Call 1-800-273-8255. The line is available 24 hours, every day.