3-Year-Old Lucknow Boy Dies After Losing ₹13 Lakh in Online Game

A village in Lucknow's Mohanlalganj was shaken by tragedy when a 13-year-old boy, Yash, ended his life after allegedly draining his father's bank account while playing the online game Free Fire.

Yash, a Class 6 student from Dhanuwasad, had reportedly linked his father Suresh Kumar's account to the game and lost nearly ₹13 lakh. The money had come from the sale of family land, which Suresh-who works as a painting contractor-had recently deposited.

The Confrontation

The truth surfaced when Suresh went to withdraw cash and discovered his account was empty. Shocked, he reported the matter to the bank, only to learn at home that his young son had been behind the transactions. Confronted by his father, Yash locked himself in his room and took the extreme step. Despite being rushed to hospital, he could not be saved.

Missing Clues on His Phone

Police later revealed that no gaming data was found on Yash's mobile phone. Investigators suspect that the device was either reset or the game data deliberately deleted. Whether Yash himself erased the records or someone else tampered with the phone remains under probe.

Family and Friends in Shock

Yash's mother, still in disbelief, said she thought her son only watched cartoons on the phone. Friends, however, confirmed he played Free Fire often and had withdrawn from social activities in recent weeks.

A Wider Concern

The incident comes soon after Parliament passed the Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Bill, 2025, which bans real-money gaming platforms in India. The law was framed to tackle exactly such dangers-financial loss, addiction, and the devastating social impact of predatory online games.

For Yash's grieving family, the loss is irreparable. For many others, it is a grim reminder of the hidden dangers lurking behind screens.