Nepal bans internet game PUBG
Kathmandu: The popular multiplayer internet game PUBG has been banned in Nepal following a court order which said that it was having a negative effect on the behaviour of children and youth, according to a media report.
The Nepal Telecommunication Authority (NTA) on Thursday directed all the internet and mobile service providers to ban PlayerUnknown's Battleground, commonly known PUBG, the Kathmandu Post reported on Thursday.
According to police, those found playing the game after the ban will face arrest.
The Kathmandu District Court gave the permission to ban PUBG on a petition filed by the metropolitan crime division citing negative behavioural affect in children, the report said.
After the court permission, the division then sent a letter to the NTA requesting it to ban the game.
Based on a letter from the crime division, we have ordered all internet and mobile service providers to ban the game, Purushottam Khanal, acting NTA chairman, was quoted as saying.
PUBG is a game in which a maximum of 100 players drop on an island and fight to be the last one left standing. The players have to search for arms and other equipment after landing on the island and compete to win the game.
Players can team with their friends and create crews that they can venture onto the island with. Cooperative play also sees players healing fallen comrades, strategising in teams and holding positions for better defensive play. Players can chat with each other and on mobile phones.
We received a number of complaints from parents, schools and school associations regarding the effect of the game on children, Senior Superintendent of Police Dhiraj Pratap Singh, chief of the Metropolitan Crime Division, said.
Singh said that they also held discussions with psychiatrists before requesting the court for permission to ban the game.
There have been many shocking incidents due to the game in other countries. We have decided to ban the game before anything unfortunate occurs in Nepal, Singh said.
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Go to EC or courts: BJP state chief on allegations regarding Suresh Gopi's 2024 LS win
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala BJP president Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Wednesday said any illegality in connection with the election of a candidate during polls should be raised before the Election Commission or the courts, "instead of spreading lies to fool and provoke the public".
Chandrasekhar's remarks came in the wake of Congress and CPI allegations that Union Minister of State Suresh Gopi filed a false declaration during the 2024 Lok Sabha polls and that his victory from Thrissur constituency was due to voter list manipulation.
The Congress, a day ago, alleged that the Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism submitted a false declaration to be included in the voters' list for the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency.
The grand old party has lodged a complaint with the police demanding registration of a criminal case against him.
Prior to that, CPI leader V S Sunil Kumar, on Monday, alleged that there was clear manipulation in the electoral roll, which facilitated Gopi's victory in the Thrissur constituency.
Gopi had won the Thrissur seat by a significant margin of over 74,000 votes, defeating Kumar and Congress candidate K Muraleedharan in a closely fought three-cornered contest.
On Wednesday, Chandrasekhar questioned the veracity of the allegations by saying that these claims were being raised one-and-a-half year after Gopi won in the LS polls.
The BJP leader also said that such issues should be raised before the Election Commission or the courts by filing a complaint or election petition.
"They do not do that. Instead, they try to provoke the public by telling lies or try to divert people's attention by their propaganda. It is all a show," he claimed.
He alleged that such dramas are being done by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan as elections approach.
Meanwhile, Gopi reached Thrissur and met a BJP worker who was injured in a protest on Tuesday.
After arriving at Thrissur railway station, the minister did not respond to reporters' queries about the Congress and CPI allegations.
At the hospital, he only said, "Thanks for helping so much". It was not clear to whom he was referring to.
On Tuesday, General Education Minister V Sivankutty urged the Election Commission of India (ECI) to carry out a re-election in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency, in the wake of reports of widespread voters' list manipulation.
