Tragic Loss: TN Youth Takes Life After Misusing Mother's Cancer Fund for Online Gaming
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Chennai, Dec 21 (NationPress) A 26-year-old individual, identified as Akash, tragically ended his life after misusing his mother's cancer treatment fund on an online rummy game.
Akash, who worked as a catering delivery worker, began playing online rummy during the COVID-19 pandemic and quickly developed an addiction.
He had been living with his mother, a cancer patient, and his brother following the death of their father a few years back.
Recently, Akash's mother discovered that Rs 30,000, which she had earmarked for her cancer treatment, had vanished.
When questioned, Akash confessed to using the funds for online gaming.
After receiving a reprimand from his mother and brother, Akash went missing from their home on Friday evening, taking his mobile phone with him.
The family searched for him at the homes of close friends but could not find him.
On Saturday morning, his lifeless body was discovered on the terrace of their residence.
The Kottupuram Police in Chennai have initiated a case and launched an investigation.
In the past four years, 48 individuals have taken their lives in Tamil Nadu due to addiction to online betting applications and online loan scams.
The Tamil Nadu Online Gaming Authority (TNOGA) had previously declared its commitment to enforce strict measures against those promoting online gambling and betting applications within the state.
Residents are urged to report online gambling activities or provide suggestions for regulating online games via www.tnonlinegamingauthority.com or email at tnoga@tn.gov.in.
The TNOGA, established in 2022, prohibits online gambling, betting, and games of chance.
Those who violate these regulations face imprisonment for up to three months, a fine of up to Rs 5,000, or both. Financial institutions and payment gateways are also barred from facilitating transactions related to online gambling.
Moreover, the TNOGA Act prohibits advertisements promoting online gambling or games of chance in any media within Tamil Nadu.
Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president and former Union Minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, has urged the government to implement stringent measures against online games like rummy, which are reportedly pushing many youths into despair and leading to suicides.
