Youngsters fall prey to deadly online challenge in Assam India among top nations searching game online

The student was in the 40th stage of the 50step game. He wants us to discharge him so that he can complete the game

Several youngsters here are falling prey to the dangerous online game called Blue Whale Challenge that encourages its participants to commit suicide.

The first case in the state was reported last week when a 17-year-old Class X student was admitted to Guwahati Medical College Hospital (GMCH) with injury marks on his body.

“He is slightly better, but still has suicidal tendencies. The patient was in the 40th stage of the 50-step game. He wants us to discharge him so that he can complete the game,” said Dr HR Phookun, head of psychiatry department at GMCH.

The student, who had attempted suicide two years ago, was brought to the hospital, after his teachers saw image of a blue whale etched on his hand and alerted the parents.

Widespread coverage in the media has already led to tremendous curiosity about the game.

Assam Police have issued an advisory to parents to monitor online activity of their children. A helpline has also been launched. While three cases were reported from parts of the state on Friday, four students were brought to the emergency ward of GMCH in the past two days.

Teachers of a madrasa contacted the parents of a Class VII student after they learnt about his penchant for the game. In a similar case, the teachers of a school at Teok in eastern Assam’s Jorhat, too, contacted parents of a student on learning that he had taken up the challenge

The number of online search in India for the Blue Whale Challenge is among the highest globally, data from internet giant Google shows, raising a challenge for authorities to clamp down on the game.

The computer game has become one of the most controversial online games worldwide and has been blamed for suicides by more than 130 teenagers worldwide. Google’s Trends, which analyses and collates the most popular search words or phrases, reveals that more people from India are searching for the game in the past 12 months. The findings by Google Trends, however, does not mean that all those are looking for the suicide-linked game are actually playing it.

KUL BHUSHAN