Madhya Pradesh: Online Gaming Debt Allegedly Drives Father To Poison Family, Two Dead

Shahdol: An incident in Madhya Pradesh’s Shahdol district has drawn attention to the devastating impact of online gaming addiction on a family. A debt-ridden father allegedly mixed poison into a cold drink and made his wife and daughter consume it before drinking it himself, resulting in his and his daughter’s deaths, while his wife remains hospitalised.

The incident occurred in the Old Basti area, within the Kotwali police station limits. Police said the man had reportedly lost lakhs of rupees in online games and was under mounting financial pressure at the time of the alleged act.

In this incident, the family's 16-year-old daughter died during treatment at the Medical College. While family members were returning home after her last rites, 40-year-old father Shankar Lal Gupta also passed away. His 34-year-old wife, Rajkumari Gupta, is currently admitted to the ICU and remains in critical condition.

15-Year-Old Son Was Not At Home

It is reported that the couple’s 15-year-old son was not at home during the incident, thereby saving him from becoming a victim. He has now lost his father and sister, while his mother remains in critical condition in the hospital. Police are currently investigating the matter and examining all aspects of the case.

Preliminary information suggests that Shankar Lal Gupta used to play online games, investing money in hopes of earning profits. In the process, he reportedly lost around Rs 4 lakh and fell into mounting debt. Police said he was under severe financial and emotional stress at the time of the incident.

Additional SP Abhishek Diwan said, “A report was received at the hospital outpost last night. In the morning, we were informed that three people, a man, a woman and a 16-year-old girl, had consumed poison and were admitted in serious condition. They were immediately treated. As the girl’s condition was critical, she was referred to the Medical College, where she died. The father has also died. The matter is under investigation.”

Police added that Gupta had previously run an auto parts shop but had recently been selling snacks. Citing the wife’s initial statement, officials said he came home with a two-litre bottle of cold drink, drank it himself, then gave it to his wife and daughter. Their son was not at home at the time. Soon after drinking it, all three began vomiting and their condition worsened, following which they were admitted to the hospital.

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