PUBG-addict Ahmedabad woman seeks divorce; wants to live with gaming partner

Tribune Web Desk 
Chandigarh, May 22 

The online game PlayerUnknown Battleground aka PUBG has taken the world by storm and has reached new heights in addiction.

Another case of PUBG addiction has come to light from Ahmedabad, where a 19-year-old called up 181 Abhayam women helpline seeking help to get divorce. 

She has also requested to be lodged at a women's observation home, away from her family and parents.

It gets worse: divorce wasn't her end goal; she actually wanted to live with her new-found PUBG gaming partner.

"The girl called 181 and told us that she wants to be at a women's observation home as it is not working out with her husband who had taken away her cell phone, nor did she want to go to her parents' home," says Falguni Patel, coordinator at Abhayam. 

"When we told her that she wouldn't be allowed to use her phone or to go out from observation home since it is supposed to be for the protection of women, she dropped the idea. Then she sought help to reach her friend who, she revealed, much later during the counselling session, was her PUBG gaming partner whom she came into contact while playing the game," Falguni Patel said.

Patel said the counsellors explained to her not to take such a crucial decision in a rush just for the sake of a game as her marriage of two years, as well as the life of her child, was at stake.

"Our counsellors assured her to help her arrive at a mature decision, making her realise the future uncertainties and consequences since they often encounter such cases," she added.

"During four hours of counselling, we advised her to give her husband and marriage a second chance. She agreed and we gave her a unique ID number for 181 helpline so that we could identify the case quickly and work accordingly, but she has not made any such attempt," Falguni Patel said.

"Our counsellors also informed her parents and recommended that she needed psychological help to get over her addiction," she added. 

Patel said this was the second case of a girl addicted to PUBG.

PUBG is an online multi-player battle royale game (available free on mobile platforms) developed and published by PUBG Corporation.

The game has been banned in Nepal, Iraq and some parts of India.