15-yr-old ends life after being scolded for gaming: Police

New delhi: A 15-year-old boy died by suicide in Delhi’s Adarsh Nagar after allegedly being scolded by his sister for playing mobile games instead of studying, police said.

The incident took place on October 1 at the family’s home in Lal Bagh. Police said they were alerted through a PCR call about an attempted suicide and, on arrival, found that the teenager, identified as Adarsh, son of Anil Kumar Jha, had tried to hang himself from a ceiling fan following an argument with his elder sister.

According to investigators, the Class IX student at NPL School was reprimanded for spending long hours on gaming and neglecting his studies. Distressed, he locked himself in a room and attempted suicide. Family members discovered him hanging and rushed him to hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries later that day.

Adarsh’s father works in an export company in Kundli, Sonepat, while the family lives in a modest neighbourhood in Adarsh Nagar. Police said preliminary enquiry suggests no foul play, adding that the case appears to be one of emotional distress triggered by a domestic dispute. Legal proceedings have been initiated under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, which governs inquiries into unnatural deaths.

Statements of family members have been recorded, and the body was handed over after post-mortem for cremation on Tuesday evening. Police said counselling support will be provided to the bereaved family and that mental health awareness programmes for schoolchildren will be stepped up in the locality.

The incident has renewed concern over adolescent stress linked to academic pressure and digital addiction. Experts warn that excessive gaming and lack of emotional communication at home can fuel behavioural problems, urging parents to use counselling and dialogue rather than harsh reprimands.