Game addiction: Boy ends life as brother refuses to give phone

Coimbatore: A 12-year-old boy committed suicide by hanging following a quarrel with his elder brother over using mobile phone to play ‘free fire’ online game in Coimbatore on Monday.

Police said P Arjunan, 12, studying Class 6 and his elder brother P Eswaran, 13, studying Class 8 were both addicted to playing the online game and quarreled frequently over the mobile phone.

Their father Palani (45) and mother Kittanammal, residing at Kannappan Nagar near Kinathukadavu were working as daily wagers. The couple had five children, including the two boys studying at government middle school in Sikkalampalayam.

Barely 10 days ago, Arjunan made a suicide bid by attempting to stab himself in stomach with a broken liqour bottle following a tiff with his brother over using the phone to play the online game. However, Kittanammal intervened and snatched the broken bottle from his hand.

Again, on Monday evening, after returning from school, Arjunan and his brother broke into a quarrel over playing the online game with the mobile phone. Then, their sister took away the mobile phone and chided the boys for their addiction.

Police said Arjunan, who was upset, unable to play the online game, took the extreme step by tying a rope to the window grill of the house. He was rushed to a private hospital and then referred to CMCH. However, doctors declared him brought dead.