Two children in India died in separate incidents linked to excessive screen use, one reportedly tied to Japanese series ‘Death Note’, the other to mobile gaming, sparking renewed concerns over harmful content and screen addiction.
On August 3, Gandhara, a 14-year-old Class 7 student and son of Kannada Kogile reality show contestant and singer Savitha, died by suicide in the CK Acchukattu area of Bengaluru. Police say he was reportedly obsessed with the Japanese series Death Note. His room was filled with posters from the show, and he had drawn characters from it. Investigators are checking if the series influenced his actions. His parents said he had no known problems at school or home. The exact reason behind his extreme step is still not clear. Police have taken his mobile phone for forensic examination.
What is ‘Death Note’?
‘Death Note’ is a Japanese manga series written by Tsugumi Ohba, published from December 2003 to May 2006. It follows Light Yagami, a student who finds a supernatural notebook that can kill anyone whose name is written in it. He uses it to kill criminals, aiming to create a crime-free world, while a police task force tries to stop him. The story was adapted into a 37-episode anime (2006-2007), several live-action films (2006-2016), and a TV drama in 2015. It has sold over 30 million manga copies worldwide and is praised for its psychological depth and moral questions.
Delhi boy’s death after long hours on phone
In another incident on August 3, the body of a 10-year-old boy was found hanging in his home at Ambika Vihar Colony in Delhi. Police say he was addicted to mobile games and YouTube. Examination of his mobile showed he had played a game for seven hours and used YouTube for about four hours that day. His father said he had stayed home from school on July 31 due to heavy rain.
Growing concern over screen habits
Both incidents have raised serious concerns about the impact of dark and addictive content, along with excessive screen use, on children. Experts say parents must monitor what their children watch and how much time they spend online. These tragedies serve as a warning to take children’s media habits seriously before it is too late.