Bengal CID saves engineering student

A student of an engineering college in West Bengal was saved from the grip of Blue Whale by Criminal Investigation Department (CID) officers who counselled him, eventually weaning him away from the lethal online game.

According to CID sources, the registrar of BB Institute of Technology contacted a senior CID officer a few days ago and informed that the behaviour of a student had become suspicious. “I was heading towards a blunder. Fortunately, I was stopped in my tracks. I thank the police officer who saved me posing as a cyber friend,” the student said.

This is the latest in a string of cases reported from across India of deaths or suicide attempts linked to the online game, first developed in Russia.

On August 13, a 15- year old student, Ankan Dey, committed suicide at Anandapur town in West Midnapore district.

It was suspected he was prompted by the online game to take his life.

The registrar of the engineering institute told the CID sleuth that he suspected the change in behaviour might be the effect of the online menace. The sleuths also learnt from authorities that a tattoo of Blue Whale was imprinted on the hand of the student.

The CID cyber cell responded immediately. An inspector of the cell befriended the student through a social networking site and starting talking to him without revealing his identity.

In course of conversation, the student confessed to the sleuth that he was already on level eight game and he had to slash his arm once. “The student also confessed he was preparing to inflict more wounds on his hands in the subsequent level,” a CID officer said.

Despite this confession, the CID team did not lose patience, or inform his parents. The inspector kept on chatting with the student and counselling him about the eventual fate of the game.

“Finally, our officers were able to convince him that this game is nothing but a death trap. After the student was convinced about its pernicious effect, his parents were informed. Now everyone is happy. They have thanked us for our effort,” the CID official said.

THIS IS THE LATEST IN A STRING OF CASES REPORTED FROM ACROSS INDIA OF DEATHS OR SUICIDE ATTEMPTS LINKED TO THE ONLINE GAME