Mumbai:
Time and again we have heard of the harmful effects of watching cartoon shows on children. Studies have said that children tend to become more aggressive after watching cartoons and ape all that they see in the animated violence. A 13-year-old boy, inspired by the actions of a cartoon character, hanged himself using a shawl yesterday. According to MIDC police, Abhishek Thakkar, a resident of Mahakali Caves, hanged himself from the ceiling fan after he was seen watching a cartoon show in which the protagonist did the same. But the only difference was that the cartoon hero survived.
The investigating officials said that the Standard VIII student had lunch with his family and his two siblings Simran and Shreyas and then went to his room while his parents Himanshu and Sapna returned to their room.
"Around 5 pm, Abhishek got up to change his clothes to go out to play with his friends. However, when he did not return an hour later his parents went upstairs to check. When they opened the door, they were shocked to see their son hanging from the ceiling fan," said Inspector Mohan Waghmare, MIDC police.
Waghmare added that Abhishek was rushed to Holy Spirit hospital in Andheri. However, he was declared dead on admission. Waghmare elaborated that Simran had told them that she had seen her brother watching a cartoon in which the character hanged himself but escapes alive.
"We suspect that he used to watch a lot of cartoon shows and tried to do the same and killed himself," said Waghmare.