RUSSIAN police are investigating claims a boy killed himself in a disturbing manner after losing a computer game.

Russian media cited local sources saying that he was addicted to a computer game that his mother had bought for him.

State owned Russian television channel NTV reported: “A teenager from Tomsk region committed suicide after he lost a computer game.”

It is unclear what computer game he was playing, but a female source said Pavel spent hours at his computer and that his “nerves gave in after a game”.

The local office of the Russian Investigative Committee gave no further details on Pavel’s case except to confirm a criminal case had been opened into incitement to suicide.

It’s believed 15-year-old Pavel Mateev inflicted wounds with a chainsaw.

Russia has seen several so-called ‘death groups’ allegedly incite children and teenagers to take their own lives while playing online games.

It is unclear whether the alleged suicide of Pavel has any links to this phenomenon.

Some of the groups feature a game called Blue Whale in which victims are ‘brainwashed’ by sick online mentors to complete 50 steps involving exhaustion and self-harm, ending in suicide.

An alarming alleged statistic from a Russian newspaper claimed that of the 130 child suicide victims over a six-month period, almost all were members of one group or another online.

A Russian anti-cyber crime official warned that 1339 online suicide groups were uncovered with an audience of more than 12,000 users.

The teenager’s death follows two other child suicides that were recently reported in Colombia.

A 12-year-old-girl and a 16-year old boy took their own lives, with their deaths linked to sinister internet game, the Momo challenge.

Players contact Momo via WhatsApp, where the profile features a disturbing avatar taken from an edited photo of a sculpture by Japanese artist Midori Hayashi.

The account’s controller, who is unknown, then sends violent images and threatens the player if they refuse to follow the game’s orders. Eventually, they are challenge to take their own life.

If you or someone you know is in need of crisis or suicide prevention support, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au/gethelp

This is an edited version of a story that appeared on The Sun. It is republished with permission.