A 15-year-old girl from Ambernath, Maharashtra, allegedly died by suicide after being reprimanded for spending too much time on her mobile phone. Authorities reported that she ingested rat poison after her mother advised her to cut down on her mobile usage.
The girl consumed the poison on September 26 and was immediately taken to a nearby hospital. As her condition worsened, she was transferred to a hospital in Mumbai, where she eventually passed away on October 2, according to an Ambernath police official.
The Ambernath police station confirmed on October 12 that they registered the incident as a case of accidental death, following the conclusions of the medical report.
Incident Timeline
- September 26: The girl ingested rat poison after her mother scolded her for excessive mobile use.
- September 26: She was taken to a local hospital for emergency treatment.
- October 2: Transferred to a Mumbai hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.
- October 12: Police officially registered the case as an accidental death after reviewing the medical report.
Mental Health and Mobile Addiction
This tragic case underscores the rising challenges related to youth mental health and the influence of mobile phones.
In another case last month, three boys in Delhi allegedly stabbed their 16-year-old friend to death when he refused to treat them after purchasing a new smartphone. All four were in Class 9.
“The group demanded a party or a treat to celebrate the purchase, but Sachin refused. An argument ensued, leading to the stabbing,” a police officer explained.
A similar incident occurred last year when a 16-year-old boy, addicted to video games, died by suicide after his father confiscated his smartphone. Following a heated argument about his excessive gaming, his father took away the device and told him to focus on his studies. The next morning, the family discovered the boy hanging from a kitchen hook with a dupatta.
