Blue Whale: 2 teens hospitalised, monitoring committee set up

Guwahati: Two teenagers here have fallen victims to the killer Blue Whale game after they were hospitalised with cut injuries recently, with the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration forming a committee to look into the disturbing trend.

Gauhati Medical College Hospital Superintendent R Talukdar said the two teenagers, aged between 16 and 17 years, have been admitted to the psychiatry department of the hospital and were given counselling.

"They are expected to recover soon," he said.

The official said the police have been informed as the teenagers exhibited suicidal tendency.

"Teenagers experiencing loneliness are most vulnerable and have a mental inclination for some sort of addiction, be it for drugs, alcohol or such games," Talukdar said.

The superintendent said the onus on preventing such incidents rests on parents, teachers and the society, adding that repeated visuals of the (game) victims recounting their experiences sometimes stoke the curiosity of otherwise uninterested youths to try and play the game.

Taking cognisance of the menace, the Kamrup Metropolitan district administration today set up a committee of government officials and NGOs for monitoring and creating awareness for controlling the Blue Whale game in the district.

"The infamous Blue Whale Game also known as the Blue Whale Challenge, is an Internet game that has claimed the lives of many students and youngsters in the country. Recently, similar incidents were reported from Kamrup Metropolitan district," read the order.

"Keeping the vulnerability of the present scenario in mind, Kamrup Metropolitan District administration has constituted a monitoring committee to create awareness about the infamous game," it said.

The committee will embark on an awareness drive to sensitise students and youngsters about the deadly game and counsel them in different educational institutions within Kamrup(M) district. Guwahati falls under the jurisdiction of Kamrup Metropolitan.

According to the order, the committee would also be holding discussions with various Internet service providers to develop a control mechanism so that proactive and preventive measures can be planned in advance, besides a periodic review of the situation.

The committee will include district development commissioner, Commissioner of Police (Guwahati or his representative), additional deputy commissioner Education, joint director health services, Inspector of Schools, district elementary education officer, district social welfare officer, district child protection officer and district information and public relations officer of Kamrup (M), it said.

Scorpion, Ashadeep and Destination are some of the NGOs roped in for the committee, the order added.