PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss has slammed the Tamil Nadu Governor after yet another suicide in the state due to online rummy. The Governor RN Ravi has not given his assent for the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Online Gambling and Regulation of Online Games Bill, 2022 yet.

Madankumar, a graduate from Vellalur, Coimbatore committed suicide after losing money playing online rummy and going through health issues. According to The Times of India after experiencing terrible headaches and vision problems from constant mobile phone use and the stress of losing money continually in online rummy, Madankumar took his own life.

According to a police official, the 25-year-old took the drastic action on Friday night when his mother, a housekeeping employee at the Coimbatore Medical College and Hospital (CMCH), was at work.

The official said, “When she returned home around 9.15am Saturday, she found the door was locked from inside. Since there was no response from her son, she broke open the door with the help of neighbors and found her son hanging from the ceiling of the room with a sari.”

Ramadoss, in his latest Tweet, offered his condolences to the victim’s family.

“This is just one example of how much online gambling is preying on humanity. This is the 45th suicide since the Madras High Court ruled that the Online Gambling Prohibition Act was invalid,” said Ramadoss.

He then claimed that the ban on online rummy in the state is a collective demand of the citizens but even after 125 days of the Bill being formed, the Governor is delaying his assent for it which is highly unacceptable.

Ramadoss requested the Governor to immediately approve the Bill, saying that these suicides due to online gambling addiction should not be tolerated. Recently, a restaurant employee named Gunaseelan took his own life in Madurai after losing money playing online rummy.

In October last year, the Tamil Nadu government passed the Gaming Ban Bill replacing the ordinance on the subject. While the ordinance lapsed in November, the Governor is yet to give his assent for the Bill. Ramadoss, along with TN chief minister and other politicians, has been constantly asking the reason for the Governor not giving his assent. As a result, the Governor RN Ravi has received criticism from various quarters.