14-Year-Old Boy Dies By Suicide In Bhopal, Mobile Game Obsession Suspected

Bhopal woke up to a heartbreaking tragedy as a 14-year-old schoolboy, the only child of his parents, was found dead inside his home. The incident has sent shockwaves through Bhopal, once again raising urgent questions about online gaming addiction and children's mental health.

The boy has been identified as Ansh Sahu, an eighth-grade student, who lived in Shriram Colony.

According to police and family members, Ansh's parents - both teachers at a private school - had stepped out on Monday afternoon to attend a funeral ceremony. When they returned home, they were confronted with an unimaginable sight their son was unresponsive in his room.

The distraught parents rushed him to a nearby private hospital, but doctors declared him dead on arrival. Ansh was the only son of the family. Relatives say the household has been left shattered, struggling to process the sudden loss.

Family members told police that Ansh had become increasingly addicted to online games over the past few days. Concerned about his studies and behaviour, the family had taken away his mobile phone and repeatedly advised him to stay away from gaming.

Ansh's maternal uncle, Bhola Sahu, revealed that Rs 28,000 was deducted from Ansh's grandfather's bank account for the online game Free Fire. According to the family, they had taken away Ansh's phone about a month ago and had repeatedly stopped him from using the mobile due to his growing addiction.

Despite this, on the day of the incident as well, Ansh was reportedly playing the Free Fire game. Family members say Ansh had developed a serious addiction to online gaming, which ultimately cost him his life.

Meanwhile, Ansh's neighbour, Shambhu Prasad Shukla, has demanded strict action, saying such online games should be banned as they are pushing children towards dangerous consequences.

The family suspects that Ansh may have killed himself under pressure to complete a task linked to an online game, possibly connected to the notorious Blue Whale. Police have recovered Ansh's mobile phone from his room and are examining its contents.

Confirming the case, Piplani police station in-charge Chandrika Yadav said, "A case has been registered and the family is being questioned. What has come to light so far is that the child was scolded by his mother regarding mobile phone use. Since the family is in deep mourning, all statements have not yet been recorded. The mobile phone angle is being investigated."

Police have clarified that no conclusion has been drawn yet, and all possibilities including online game influence are being examined carefully.

In a similar heartbreaking case, three minor sisters in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad, jumped to their death from their 9th floor house in a likely online Korean gaming task. They left behind an eight-page suicide note, detailing their gaming and mobile activities.