PUBG, MOMO challenge now legal in Gujarat's Rajkot
Rajkot, May 9: Hours after the Gujarat High Court sought Vijay Rupani government's response over the extension on the ban on popular online games PUBG and MOMO challenge, the Rajkot police on Wednesday lifted the ban with immediate effect.
The city police has withdrawn its notification dating March 6 this year which imposed a ban on two popular multiplayer online games - PUBG and MOMO Challenge.
A fresh notification was issued at 8pm on Wednesday, which declared that playing both the mobile games under Rajkot police's jurisdiction is now legal.
A petition was filed before the court which sought quashing of the ban order, calling it a violation of an individual's right to freedom.
This teen is so addicted to video games that his mother hand-feeds him as he goes on playing
Rajkot Police Commissioner Manoj Agrawal said the police had received representations from various youth groups who had opposed the ban. After reviewing their requests, the police department decided to cancel its earlier notification which turned PUBG and MOMO illegal under its jurisdiction.
The
top
cop,
however,
defended
his
erstwhile
decision
of
imposing
the
ban,
saying
that
it
was
in
the
interest
of
the
city's
youth
and
students.
The
ban
aimed
at
controlling
the
level
of
aggression
in
children
and
preventing
the
deterioration
of
their
behaviour,
language
and
development.
It
was
also
to
ensure
that
the
"studies
are
not
affected",
Agrawal
said.
Earlier on March 9, Gujarat police had banned PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) in Rajkot and booked 10 people for playing PUBG. Gujarat police had notified that if people were caught playing PUBG then they can be prosecuted under section 188 of IPC.