Tamil Nadu: Chennai man loses mother's cancer treatment funds playing online rummy, dies by suicide
The deceased, a resident of Second Street in Chinnamalai, had been working intermittently in the food business. His father passed away eight years ago, leaving him to live with his mother and brother. The family was already grappling with financial challenges, compounded by his mother's ongoing cancer treatment.
In a tragic incident, a 26-year-old Chennai man reportedly died by suicide after being scolded by his mother and brother for using money saved for her cancer treatment to play online rummy. It is reportedly said that the man's body was found on Saturday (December 21) morning, a day after he went missing.
The deceased, a resident of Second Street in Chinnamalai, had been working intermittently in the food business. His father passed away eight years ago, leaving him to live with his mother and brother. The family was already grappling with financial challenges, compounded by his mother's ongoing cancer treatment.
According to sources, the man developed a gaming addiction during the Covid-19 lockdown. This habit eventually led him to misuse Rs 30,000, a sum painstakingly saved by his mother for her medical expenses, to play rummy online.
On Friday, his mother and brother confronted him about his erratic behavior and scolded him for squandering the treatment funds. Following the altercation, he went missing, leaving his family increasingly worried. Efforts to contact him proved futile as his phone was switched off. Desperate, the family searched for him at relatives' and friends' houses but to no avail.
The family's search came to a heartbreaking end at 3:30 am on Saturday when they checked the terrace of their house. There, they found him lifeless, having allegedly used a TV cable wire to take his own life in one of the terrace rooms.
Upon being informed, the Kottupuram police arrived at the scene to recover the body and initiate an investigation. Preliminary findings point to the man's distress over his gaming addiction and the ensuing family confrontation as possible factors leading to the tragedy.