The alleged suicide of a 23-year-old student in Puducherry University has raised suspicions of being influenced by the ‘Blue Whale Challenge’, after his friends alleged that he was playing it.
Kalapet police who checked the deceased person's phone, have also confirmed the same, reports TNIE.
According to reports, Sasikumar Bora, a first year MBA student of Puducherry University was found hanging from a tree at the university campus at midnight on Thursday. He was chatting with his friends on Thursday night before he left for his room. His friends later informed the police that he was playing the Blue Whale Challenge.
Bora's phone was then reportedly seized and handed over to the cyber cell for investigation.
“We have begun investigations to check whether the death was due to his playing the Blue Whale game”, Superintendent of Police (East) S Venkatasamy told TNIE.
His mother Bulu Dey Bori also told the media that the teenager had seemed disturbed for the past few days. “I don’t know what he was exactly suffering from. But surely something was affecting him,” she claimed.
“He would call me up late at night and weep. He didn’t tell me what was troubling him. He was not a lovelorn boy nor did he have any problem with money,” she added.
A message on Bora’s Facebook page, posted at 2:21 am on August 29, read - “Maybe I wasn't made for anyone”.
Bora's death came a day after 19-year-old Vignesh hanged himself in Madurai, leaving behind indications that he had played the Blue Whale Challenge or some version of it.
To prevent more children from falling prey to the game, Madurai SP Mannivannan said that they have set up a counselling cell headed by Additional Superintendent of Police, Kalavathi. The cell will include social activists and policemen.
Madurai police will also be carrying out a sensitisation campaign within 10 days for students to stay away from dangerous online games.
They have also formed a special team to keep track of suspicious activities based on inputs from parents and teachers. People looking for help can reach out at WhatsApp number 770880611.