Pune: 15-Year-Old Schoolboy Dies After Jumping from Building, Allegedly Inspired by Video Game

Reported By Varad Bhatkhande

Pimpri Chinchwad, 29th July 2024: A shocking incident has come to light in Pimpri Chinchwad. A 15-year-old schoolboy reportedly jumped from the 14th floor and died, allegedly under the influence of a video game. The boy’s mother learned about the incident through a society WhatsApp group, as he had locked himself in his bedroom before jumping. This incident occurred on the 26th July in Kiwale, a high-class society under the jurisdiction of Ravet Police Station.

According to officials, the deceased has been identified as Arya Umesh Shrirao, 15, a resident of Runal Gateway, Kiwale. The boy was allegedly addicted to a video game that issued ‘tasks.’ Following one such task, he ended up jumping, resulting in his death. Upon investigating his home, the police found a paper detailing the reported task and a drawing illustrating various ways to ‘exit’ the home.

The boy had struggled with video game addiction previously, but his father, who lived abroad, had intervened and helped him overcome it. However, after returning abroad, the boy relapsed into addiction. On 25th July, a day when schools were closed due to rain, he spent the entire day playing the game. That night, he came out of his room to eat but felt unwell throughout 26th July. He had locked himself in his room, and his mother only learned of his fall when she saw a message in the society’s WhatsApp Group. She rushed to his room, discovered he was missing, and realized he was the boy who had fallen. Despite being taken to the hospital, he could not be saved.

Mahindra Kadam, Senior Police Inspector at Ravet Police Station, told Punekar News, “This incident occurred in Kiwale. The boy is said to have suffered from loneliness. The investigation is ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident. The cause of death is not yet known. It appears that the game might be a factor. The boy died during treatment. The parents suggest that the game may have been the cause, but the investigation will reveal what the game was and whether it contributed to his death.”