A 15-year-old minor boy from Bhiwandi in Thane district of Maharashtra allegedly killed his elder brother, Mohammad Shaik (19), for scolding him over playing the PUBG game on his mobile phone.

The minor boy infuriated by his brother’s interference allegedly banged the head of Shaikh against a wall and stabbed him repeatedly with scissors, said senior police inspector Mamata D’Souza.

Shaikh was rushed to the nearby government hospital where he was declared brought dead. A case has been registered under section 302 (Punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), said D’Souza.

PUBG is an online multiplayer battle game developed by a South Korean Firm. Several concerns have been raised across the world regarding the addictive nature of the game, which also has a tendency to push children towards violent behaviour. Parents and educators say the game incites violence and distracts students from their studies.

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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.

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.

On March 15, Gujarat police had arrested ten students, including six college students in Rajkot for allegedly playing the PUBG game on their mobile phones despite the police banning it. Similarly, the CRPF had also imposed a ban on its troops from playing the game as it affects the operational and socialising capabilities of the Jawans.