A 29-year-old Indian man by the name of Gururajan has hanged himself over gambling, demonstrating the dangers of excessive spending. The man’s friends tried to save his life and rushed him to the hospital but it was too late.
Gururajan was an employee of a BPO firm in Perungudi. His parents told the police that, in his spare time, the man liked to play online rummy. The parents added that his gambling had led him to lose several lakhs (an Indian unit denoting a hundred thousand) of rupees.
The Indian man’s recent losses, according to the investigation, had rendered him depressed. Previously, Gururajan had requested 1.5 lakhs from his girlfriend, the police said. He had also previously asked friends for money to gamble.
On Saturday, Gururajan called his girlfriend one last time. After a video call with her, he proceeded to hang himself from the balcony.
Gururajan, who lived in a rented accommodation in the Villupuram district with a bunch of friends, was heard by his roommates who rushed to help him. They brought him down and rushed him to a nearby hospital. Unfortunately, the 29-year-old man was declared dead on arrival.
The investigation continues.
Gambling Can Be Dangerous
Gururajan’s story demonstrates the dangers of excessive gambling and shows that no one is immune to addiction, no matter their job or relationships.
A recent event in Connecticut addressed the dangers excessive gambling poses to former and active military personnel, highlighting the importance of early intervention to harm and suicide prevention.
In the UK, a former addict who contemplated suicide is now working with Aquarius to help others overcome their gambling problems. The British man had lost tens of thousands of pounds to gambling and felt a constant pressure before starting his journey to recovery.
Luckily, there is help for those who need it. Players who feel that their gambling habits are getting out of control should contact a local mental help or gambling addiction hotline. In regulated markets, players can also make use of the numerous safer gambling tools available to them.