PUBG Mobile is a raging success in India, raking in millions of players and revenue for the makers of the game. But there's no success without criticism and PUBG Mobile has received a fair share censure from governments as well as people to an extent where the popular battle-royale game has been banned in several cities.
After the Gujarat government asked all districts to ban PUBG Mobile in all school premises across the state, Rajkot City Police took the matters to another level and banned the game completely in the city. Although the imposed ban is temporary and will be lifted on April 30, the consequences of violating the order are serious.
Ten individuals have already paid a price of such a violation as the Rajkot City Police booked 10 people for playing PUBG Mobile. The accused, six of whom are undergraduates, one works at a private firm, one a labourer and another a graduate, will be facing a trial, but the police commissioner clarified that it's not an arrest and those booked will be immediately bailed.
"Our team caught these youths red-handed. They were taken into custody after they were found playing the PUBG game. We have registered two cases against them under IPC Section 188 for violating the notification issued by Police Commissioner and under Section 35 of the Rajkot police arrests 10 for playing PUBG despite ban Gujarat Police Act," SOG police inspector Rohit Raval told The Indian Express.
According to the report, the six youths who were playing the game at tea stalls and fast-food joints outside a college were granted bail. The arrests were made after police checked the phones of the accused to see if the PUBG game was running and the cops also checked the history to nab the violators.
The ban on PUBG Mobile was imposed in Surat and Rajkot earlier this month and two more cities, Gir Somnath and Bhavnagar, in Gujarat followed the suit in banning the popular game. The ban, which is in effect from March 9 till April 30 is in the interest of state board exams for 10th and 12th. The game has been labelled highly addictive and causing mental health problems. Several cases have also been reported where PUBG addiction has claimed lives and caused divorces.
Despite the severe backlash against the game, multiple studies haven't found any link between video games and aggression. PM Modi's recent remark on PUBG did not imply a harsh stance and arresting individuals for playing a game seems like a bit of a stretch.
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