A 15-year-old girl named Saina Sahu from Ganpatiguda in Rayagada district’s Ramnaguda block allegedly took her own life after losing lakhs of rupees to an online game.
The incident, reported on Thursday, has brought to light the severe dangers of gaming addiction.
According to the police, Saina had been spending heavily on mobile-based online games daily, despite repeated pleas from her family to stop. On the day of her death, she reportedly exhausted all her funds and then hanged herself with a dupatta in a toilet behind her home.
Saina’s aunt filed a complaint with the Ramnaguda police, prompting authorities to launch an investigation with support from Rayagada’s scientific team. An unnatural death case (UD Case No. 01/2025) has been registered. The body was handed over to the family after a post-mortem in Gunupur.
This incident underscores the urgent need for awareness and intervention to address the growing issue of gaming addiction among young people.
