PUBG in India has stirred up another controversy as the CRPF has imposed a ban on its troops from playing the game. In a recent development, the CRPF has instructed its commanding officers to enforce a ban on the PUBG Mobile app as it affects the operational and socialising capabilities of the Jawans. According to an internal survey, an increasing number of paramilitary personnel have been found addicted to the game.

An order issued by the CRPF’s Bihar unit reportedly said, “Many Jawans were hooked up to their mobile phones playing PUBG game for an inordinate amount of time. They had stopped socialising with their fellow jawans. Characteristics of sleep deprivation were also visible amongst those addicted to the game. It is getting them addicted to an altogether different level that is adversely affecting their operational performance, and causing aggressiveness and attitudinal issues.”

In a circular sent to all Deputy Inspector Generals(DIGs) of all formations and force’s anti-insurgency Cobra unit, the order asked them to ensure and instruct all unit/company personnel under them to delete/deactivate the PUBG mobile game app from their devices. The order also asked the senior commanding officers to carry out random phone checks to determine if the app is installed on the devices of the soldiers under them.

Addiction to PUBG has been highlighted in many instances before. There have been issues of lack of concentration, falling academic performance and sleep deprivation due to reduced physical activity reported among students and youngsters. Last month in Telangana, a 16-year-old boy had committed suicide after he was scolded by his parents for spending too much time being engrossed in the mobile game.S

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Several cities in Gujarat have banned PUBG by circulars issued by the respective police departments. The Gujarat Child Rights body had also sent a letter to the national Commission of child Rights and had asked the respective Child Rights bodies of all states to help curb the negative effects of the game.