Online Gaming Addiction Leads To Matricide: Man Murders Mother For Insurance Payout

Police have reported a disturbing incident in Uttar Pradesh's Fatehpur, where a man's addiction to online gaming allegedly drove him to murder his mother. The motive behind this heinous act was to claim her life insurance payout and alleviate his substantial debt burden. The accused, identified as Himanshu, was reportedly addicted to gaming. His escalating losses led him to accumulate a debt of nearly ₹ 4 lakh. Faced with mounting pressure from creditors, Himanshu devised a ruthless scheme.

First, Himanshu stole jewellery from his paternal aunt and used the proceeds to purchase life insurance policies worth ₹ 50 lakh each for his parents. Subsequently, he allegedly strangled his mother, Prabha, to death while his father was away. He then disposed of her body near the Yamuna river bank. Upon returning home, Himanshu's father, Roshan Singh, found both his wife and son missing. After inquiries, he learned from a neighbor that Himanshu had been seen near the river on a tractor.

Authorities were alerted, and Prabha's body was recovered from the Yamuna river bank. Himanshu was swiftly apprehended, and during interrogation, he confessed to the shocking plot. Senior police officer Vijay Shankar Mishra described it as a "sinister crime" orchestrated by a son to eliminate his mother.

The prevalence of cheap and readily available internet connectivity has fueled the rise of online gaming, where users can potentially earn money. However, gaming platforms caution against playing for financial gain, emphasizing the importance of responsible gaming. Their guidelines advise against playing with borrowed funds and stress the need to prioritize entertainment over monetary incentives.