A Class 10 student from Telangana’s Nirmal district died by suicide after his parents took away his phone because of his serious addiction to the online game PUBG. The incident happened on Thursday and has once again raised concerns about gaming addiction among young people.

According to officials, the student, Beti Rishendra, would spend more than 10 hours a day playing the game. He even refused to go to school, telling his parents that he did not get enough time to play PUBG because of classes. His parents shared that he had been taken to both a psychiatrist and a neurosurgeon for counselling, but he “remained defiant”.

They also said that Rishendra had once threatened the doctor during counselling. Frustrated with his behaviour, his parents finally took away his phone three days ago. Unable to handle life without the game, Rishendra hanged himself to death.

This is not the first tragic incident linked to PUBG addiction in India. Earlier this year, three teenagers in Bihar’s West Champaran district were crushed by a train while playing the game on railway tracks. The teenagers, who were wearing earphones, failed to notice the approaching train.

In another case, a video from Hyderabad showed a cab driver playing PUBG while driving. The footage, filmed by a passenger, revealed the driver using one hand to steer the vehicle and the other to play the game. At times, he used both hands for the game, putting passengers’ lives in danger.

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