Mumbai: Online suicide game 'Blue Whale challenge' claims minor's life

'Soon the only thing you would be left with is a picture of me' — wrote 14-year-old Andheri boy to his friends on social media before leaping to death from the terrace of his Andheri residence on Saturday.

The suicide could be linked to the deadly Blue Whale challenge, an online suicide game which has killed over 130 participants in Russia. Though the Mumbai Police has not yet found any direct link of the teenager to the deadly game, the police are probing this aspect as part of their investigations. Several youngsters and parents took to Twitter and other social media platforms on Monday raising concerns about the game gaining popularity among the youth.

Manpreet Sahans, a resident of Sher E Punjab in Andheri, was a Class 9 student of an international school in Andheri. The family members of the minor boy were in a state of shock and have now left for their native village to conduct last rites of their son. Friends of Sahans have revealed to the police that since past one week he had been unwell and had not interacted much with his friends. Moreover, he had informed his friends that he will not be attending school on Monday.

"We have taken statements of minor's friend both from school and the locality they resided and they have revealed that on Saturday. Sahans was chatting with them on different social media platforms and had informed them that he will be ending his life stating that he will be jumping off to death from a building. Before taking the extreme step, Sahans had also shared a photograph to his friends via social media that contained a message. Sahans's friends, however, did not take him seriously and thought that he was joking. He also informed his friends that a man from neighbhouring building was trying to stop him from jumping and he also shared the picture of the said person with his friends. But before the man could help, Sahans plunged to death," said a Meghwadi police officer, adding that Sahans was apparently on the terrace for nearly 20 minutes before jumping to death.

Milind Khetle, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Meghwadi Division, said, "We went to the school to meet the friends of the minor boy and have taken their statements."

Rashmi Karandikar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operations) and spokesperson for Mumbai police said, "We have registered a case of accidental death in this regard and have not found any evidence to claim that Blue Whale Challenge led to death of the minor boy. But we are investigating the case from all angles. The cellphone and electronic devices will be checked once the family returns back from the native place."

What is Blue Whale Challenge?

The Blue Whale challenge game admin targets depressed youngsters on a social media group.The group encourages people to become a participant of the game and end his/her life, which is the last task of the game. It also promises to make the person's exit from this world fun by turning the suicide into a thrilling game. After signing up, a participant is assigned daily tasks for the next 50 days. It includes inflicting self-injury, watching horror movies, waking up at odd hours to wrap the task and even carving a whale shape on the arms. The game started in Russia four years ago on a social networking site called VKontakte. The deadly game has already claimed over 130 lives in Russia alone.

DNA WARNING

• Parents are advised to keep a tab on their children and notice any changes in their behaviour. We also advice them to monitor their kids social media accounts. We do not want to lose more lives to such insanity.