A tragic incident in Himachal Pradesh’s Kullu district has once again highlighted the hidden mental health risks linked to online interactions among teenagers. A 15-year-old boy allegedly died by suicide in Bhuntar town after losing contact with an online gaming friend he had bonded with over several months.
The deceased has been identified as Kaushik Rai, a Class X student originally from Jalpaiguri in West Bengal. He was living with his parents and elder sister in a rented house in Bhuntar, near Kullu, where the family had been residing for work-related reasons.
Online friendship and emotional distress
According to the police, preliminary investigations revealed that Kaushik had met a girl, known to him as “Yuki”, while playing online video games. Their interaction later extended to social media platforms, including Instagram, and the two reportedly stayed in regular touch.
A police officer said the family informed authorities that Kaushik was under severe mental stress after the girl suddenly went offline and stopped communicating with him. “The abrupt break in contact appears to have deeply affected the teenager. The stress may have triggered him to take the extreme step,” the officer said.
Incident occurred while family was away
Police said Kaushik was alone at home when the incident occurred on Tuesday. His family discovered the tragedy later and alerted the authorities. A case has been registered, and further investigation is underway to understand the sequence of events and the extent of the online interaction.
Growing concern over digital wellbeing
The incident has raised serious concerns about the emotional vulnerability of adolescents in the digital age, particularly when online relationships become a major source of emotional support. Experts have repeatedly stressed the need for parental awareness, open communication, and mental health support for children navigating online spaces.
Authorities have urged families to watch for signs of emotional distress in teenagers and seek timely professional help when needed.