After Stealing Mother’s Jewellery to Fund Online Game, 12-Year-Old Delhi Boy Runs Away From Home

Aligarh: A shocking case reported from Delhi has shed light on how addiction to online games severely affects children. A 12-year-old boy hailing from Delhi’s Preet Vihar was so hooked to online games that he first stole money from his father’s pocket to buy weapons in the game, and then sold off his mother’s jewellery. Fearing that he might get caught for stealing the ornaments, he ran away from home on Tuesday evening, Times of India reported.

Notably, the boy was addicted to ‘Free Fire’ online mobile game, where in-app purchases have to be made by the gamer to keep his ‘arsenal’ ready with latest weaponry. To continue playing the game, he stole his mom’s gold chain and sold it for Rs 20,000. However, scared of being caught, he ran away from home and boarded the Kalindi Express from Delhi and arrived at Aligarh.

As he was seen roaming on the platform on Wednesday morning, a concerned passenger informed the RPF, after which the RPF brought him to their office. When RPF questioned him, he confessed that he had run away from his home. His parents were subsequently contacted, who rushed to Aligarh.

The boy’s father, who runs a family business in Preet Vihar, said that he had given the mobile phone to his son for attending his online classes during the lockdown. He told TOI, “My son had downloaded the online battle game and got addicted to it. For updating the game, he needed money so he started stealing from home.”