Bhubaneswar, Aug 12: A 13-year-old boy from Guhalipada village in Balasore district, Odisha, tragically took his own life after his parents refused to let him join the Kanwar Yatra to a Shiva temple in Puri, police said on Tuesday.
The incident occurred late Monday evening under the jurisdiction of Singla police station. According to reports, the boy had planned with friends to carry holy water to the temple as part of the annual pilgrimage. However, his father denied him permission to travel to Puri. Upset over the decision, the boy hanged himself in the bathroom of his home using a towel tied to an iron rod.
When he did not come out for a long time, family members forced the door open and found him hanging.
A relative alleged that the teenager was addicted to mobile gaming and spent much of his time playing online. The family had reportedly expressed concern about this habit on multiple occasions. Police, however, have not confirmed any link between the alleged gaming addiction and the suicide.
Authorities are investigating the case.
