Teen ends life after losing money in online game; MP Police registers FIR on developers

A 13-year-old boy hanged himself to death last week in the Chhatarpur district of Madhya Pradesh citing monetary loss on a mobile game called 'Free Fire'. Following this, the state Home Minister Narottam Mishra on Monday informed that the Madhya Pradesh government has now filed a police case against the developers of the online game. The teen boy, studying in class VI ended his life after losing Rs 40,000 in the game.

FIR registered against Garena Free Fire over teen's death

The boy, in a suicide note he left behind, stated that he was taking this extreme step after losing money on the 'Free Fire' mobile game, the police had said. Now, the Madhya Pradesh government has filed a case against the game developers for the loss of life. Home Minister Narottam Mishra while informing the matter, said that action will be taken against developers of “such addictive games.”

"A sad incident took place over the Free Fire game in Chhatarpur. A FIR has been registered against the company which developed this game. Superintendents of police across the state have been directed to take action against the developers of such addictive games, which are disorientating the young generation and playing with their lives. We have sought the state Law department's opinion to initiate legal action against such companies," Mishra said.

The police on Monday also confirmed the FIR and said that the case will be charged under section 305. Rajesh Banjare, in charge of Civil Lines police station in Chhatarpur, said, “an FIR under section 305 (abetment of suicide of child) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered against the company that developed 'Free Fire' and the help of the cyber cell was being taken to zero in on monetary transactions in the case.”

Will Free Fire be banned in India?

Free Fire is a shooter-survival mobile game. The game follows a 'last man standing' concept in which players have to search for weapons to eliminate other participants in order to win. Players can buy weapons and skins in-game using money and increase levels. Ever since the ban of PUBG in 2020, rumours of a possible ban on Free Fire in India had surfaced. For starters, Free Fire or Garena Free Fire is developed by Sea Ltd, a company that origins in Singapore. While its founder Forrest Li was born in China, he is currently a citizen of Singapore. Headquartered in Singapore, Free Fire is not a Chinese app hence it is thus unlikely that Free is Fire is banned in India for security reasons.

IMAGE: ANI/ TWITTER