A shocking suicide in Karnataka’s Hubli has ignited nationwide debate on screen time and parenting. When a mother denied her 14-year-old son his mobile amid gaming addiction, he hanged himself using her saree, highlighting the perils of digital dependency.
Residing in Udayanagar, the boy was obsessed with an online game for days. Thursday evening saw his mother intervene decisively. After a heated argument over his neglect of studies, she grabbed the phone. Hurt and isolated, he shut himself in his room.
Alarm bells rang when he didn’t emerge after 20 minutes. His father, glancing through the window, discovered the boy suspended in a self-made noose. Despite frantic efforts to save him at the hospital, life had slipped away.
Police Commissioner N. Shashidhar of Hubli-Dharwad painted a clear picture: sudden phone removal triggered the fatal act. ‘Don’t snatch devices abruptly from hooked kids,’ he cautioned all parents. ‘Ease them off gradually or seek expert help.’
He pointed fingers at common parental mistakes—using phones as babysitters during dinner or homework, which plants seeds of addiction. Children manipulate emotions, but rash actions like confiscation can push them over the edge.
Drawing from high-achievers who shunned mobiles to score perfectly in board exams, the commissioner stressed productive use: educational videos and skill-building apps. Yet, vigilance is key. ‘This sorrowful event demands aware parenting to safeguard our youth from tech’s dark side,’ he concluded, as Keshavapura police probe the case.
