Hindustan Times (Delhi)

Blue Whale is not a game but a death trap: Survivor

- Press Trust of India letters@hindustant­imes.com

A 22-year-old man who was rescued while playing the dreaded Blue Whale Challenge in Karaikal recounted his horrific experience and appealed to people not to try the game on any account, saying “not an app or a game” but a “virtual death trap”.

Alexander of Neravy in the district, who was rescued on Tuesday by police told reporters in the presence of superinten­dent of police Vamseedhar Reddy on Wednesday that he chose to meet the media to explain the dangers involved in the game and to dissuade others from playing it.

He revealed that he received the link to play the game on a WhatsApp group, formed by his colleagues, two weeks back and started playing the game when he had come to Neravy on leave.

“It is not an app or a game to be downloaded.. It is just a link customised for individual­s playing the game by the blue whale admin,” he said. “I did not even go to Chennai to join duty,” he said.

To complete the last task of Blue Whale challenge, a 17-year-old girl tried commit suicide for the second time on Tuesday.

On Monday night, she had jumped into Kaylana lake to commit suicide, but was rescued by a few youths. On Tuesday, the girl popped medicines to kill herself. Parents admitted her to a private hospital where her health is reportedly out of danger.

HTC

“The tasks given by the admin are to be completed only after 2am everyday. First few days went into posting personal details and photograph­s, which were collected by the blue whale admin,” he added. A few days back, Alexander was asked to visit a nearby graveyard at midnight and take a selfie and post it online.

“I went to the Akkaraivat­tam graveyard around midnight, took a selfie and posted it. Everyday, I had to watch horror movies alone, as the idea was to make victims shun fear,” he said.

“I avoided talking to people at home and remained confined to my room... It was mentally taxing... Though I wanted to get out of the game, I could not do so,” he said. Fortunatel­y, his brother Ajith, who noticed behavioura­l changes in him, informed the police who visited his residence at 4am on Tuesday and rescued Alexander as he was about to draw the image of a whale with a knife on his arm.

Stating that he was stable now following the counsellin­g sessions, Alexander appealed to fellow youths to never try the game.

“It is a virtual death trap... You will go though an agonising experience... Even those who seek adventures, will be mentally affected,” he warned.

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