The notorious Blue Whale Challenge has cast its net far and wide in India because yet another case, this time in Indore, has come to light when a Class VII student tried to jump off from the third floor of his school.

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Thankfully, the PT teacher arrived in the nick of time to thwart his suicide attempt. Surprisingly, the student had used his father’s phone to play the deadly game, and his parents were unaware that the child had fallen prey to its lure.

Though the police were sceptical of the Blue Whale angle because the boy didn’t have cuts on the body and that apparently there is no mobile app for the game, the victim admitted to having indulged in this morbid fascination.

It was his 50th dare when he was asked to end his life since he failed in the previous task. This horrifying incident should be treated with utmost seriousness. It demands that both teachers and parents should closely monitor the behaviour of the children and engage with them every day if they detect any physical or emotional sign. In most cases, compassionate words should be able to solve the emotional crisis, but seeking a psychologist’s help should not be ruled out either.

Such children often have low self-esteem. They rarely interact with the outside world and prefer to remain glued to the Internet, seeking solace and company in the virtual world. Precious lives must not be lost on account of oversight.