What we have been fearing for a few months now seems to have finally happened.
About 2 months back, we had written about a very distressing online challenge called the “Blue Whale Suicide Game” targeting teenagers by encouraging them to perform self-harm, and commit suicide.
Targeting 10-14 year olds, it allegedly had claimed quite a few young lives in some Eastern European countries, including Russia, and Brazil.
It appears that the deadly tentacles of this horrendous and sadistic “game” have reached India too.
On the evening of Saturday, 29th July, 14-year old Manpreet Singh committed suicide by jumping off the terrace of a seven-storey building in Andheri East, Mumbai. The teenager had allegedly told his friends that he was playing the “Blue Whale Game” and that he wouldn’t be attending school on Monday.
What is the Blue Whale Suicide Game?
Originating in Russia, the “game” is a social media challenge. It challenges its teenaged victims to complete a list of tasks, over a period of 50 days, including – waking up at odd hours of the night, performing self-harm by carving symbols into their skin, and contemplating death, the final task is to commit suicide.
If the victims get cold feet and express the desire to leave the game midway, the perpetrators of this horrific game issue death threats for their parents.
The Hacktivist collective, “Anonymous” had declared an online war on the game, calling it “Operation Blue Whale”
Also the 22 year old “ringleader” of this absolutely barbaric and sadistic challenge was recently arrested and imprisoned in Russia.
But none of this seems to have slowed down the spread of the game.
We at YourDOST extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Manpreet.
We would also like to caution parents to stay on a lookout for their children falling victim to this horrendous challenge.
Related reading – Is Your Teenager An Unsuspecting Victim Of The “Blue Whale” Suicide Game?
If you are concerned about the mental health of yourself or a loved one, get personalized support from the Experts at YourDOST.
