A former local council member of the People’s Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) has died after a tragic sequence of events linked to addiction to the online game PUBG (PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds).
Sivakumar Akeeban, widely known as Comrade Billa, a former member of the Valikamam East Pradeshiya Sabha, passed away at the Jaffna Teaching Hospital following a suicide attempt reportedly driven by severe financial distress and prolonged gaming addiction.
Akeeban, a resident of Urumpirai, had been deeply engrossed in PUBG for several years. According to family and friends, his obsession with the game led him to borrow large sums of money from private lenders at exorbitant “meter interest” rates to fund in-game purchases and online betting. His debt is believed to have exceeded Rs. 1 crore.
As the pressure mounted, moneylenders allegedly began harassing his family. His mother, Sarojadevi, sold a portion of the family’s property to settle part of the debt. However, Akeeban reportedly continued borrowing and playing. When his family refused to pay off a new loan of Rs. 5 lakhs, he became distraught.
Earlier this month, Akeeban attempted to end his life by hanging himself from a tree. However, the branch collapsed, leaving him critically injured. He was found by family members and rushed to the Intensive Care Unit of Jaffna Teaching Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries after several days of treatment.
A Growing Social Concern
Akeeban’s death has sparked renewed concern over gaming addiction in Sri Lanka, particularly involving games like PUBG, which combine intense gameplay with psychological reward systems that can lead to dependency.
Mental health experts warn that excessive gaming can cause serious psychological and financial harm — including depression, aggression, debt accumulation, and family breakdowns. Cases of self-harm and suicide linked to gaming addiction have been reported across South Asia.
PUBG has been temporarily or permanently banned in several countries, including India, Pakistan, Nepal, and Iraq, over public safety and mental health concerns.
Social workers in Jaffna have now called on the Sri Lankan government to consider strict regulation — or even a ban — on games like PUBG, citing Akeeban’s death as a tragic example of the real-world consequences of digital addiction.
