Innocent victims of a savage game

The suicide of a 14-year-old boy, Manpreet Singh Sahani, in Mumbai last week, has led to the suspicion whether he was the victim of an online game known as Blue Whale. The police have not confirmed it and the Maharashtra government has ordered an investigation. If the doubts are correct, the Mumbai boy would be the first victim in India of the dangerous game which is spreading in many parts of the world. Friends have said that Manpreet was playing the game. It is a computer game which originated in Russia and targets children in the 10-14 age group, eventually leading them to suicide. The game lasts 50 days. Every day tasks are given by administrators to the players, like getting up early in the morning, drawing pictures, hurting themselves, watching horror movies etc. They prepare the children to obey the last order, which comes on the 50th day, to commit suicide.

Over 130 children who have played the game have committed suicide in the recent past. There are reports that thousands of children have downloaded the game in India but it is not possible to know if they are playing it. It is a vicious game started by its founder who believes that a lot of “biological waste” in the world has to be eliminated. He is in jail now but the administrators of the game are active. Police and forensic experts have found it difficult to get them. The best way to fight this spreading software epidemic is to keep children away from it. Children in their early teens are impressionable and vulnerable to pressure. In a few days, the game gains control over them and they become obedient slaves of the masters on the other side, losing their sense of right and wrong, and good and bad.

Experts have advised that parents and teachers should try to keep children away from the game. They should be vigilant about the changes in the behaviour and daily routine of children. Injury marks or drawings on the bodies of children should not be ignored. In fact, children should be prevented from getting addicted to any game or social media activities. They should have an active life in society and should have real friends and play real games. Cyber addiction is a major problem with children. While mobiles, the Internet and the cyber world are essential parts of lives, addiction to them is harmful and damaging. The use of the cyber world should only for support of activities in the real world and not the other way round.