Hooked on to online game for hours at a stretch, boy, 13, dies

Lucknow: A 13-year-old boy died under mysterious circumstances after playing an online game for several hours on Wednesday. The incident took place in the Indiranagar police station area. Police said that to ascertain the exact nature of the game, a forensic examination of the handset will be conducted.

The victim was living on rent in Shivajipuram for about a year with his mother, Prem Kumari, and sisters, Pinky, Chandni, and Anju. His father passed away two years ago. The deceased, identified as Vivek, was playing the mobile game continuously since morning while on a day off from work.

According to police, Vivek was employed at a local shop near Mayawati Colony and was on his monthly leave. "He was playing some game since morning without a break. Around 6 pm, he suddenly collapsed while still holding the phone," said his sister Pinky. She, along with another sister, Anju, and their mother, was present at the time. The family suspects he may have consumed a poisonous substance, although this has not yet been confirmed. The police are awaiting the post-mortem report to determine the exact cause of death. Station house officer (SHO) Sunil Kumar Tiwari said, "We have seized the mobile phone and are examining it. The cause of death is still under investigation." The police have not ruled out the possibility of medical complications or psychological stress due to prolonged gaming.

Assistant Commissioner of Police, Ghazipur (Indiranagar), Anindya Vikram Singh, said that the boy was ill and suffering from a prolonged illness.