Blue Whale: The gruesome suicide game

The recent death of 14-year-old Manpreet Sahans in Bombay captures the essence of how youngsters are getting caught in the whirlpool of technology, and being carried away in the world of challenges – without a second thought about the implications of their risk-taking attitude.

Yet another victim of the Blue Whale Game which has claimed over a thousand lives across the world so far, and the first such case in India, Manpreet apparently told his classmates that they “won’t be seeing him on Monday”. And just before jumping off the seven-floor apartment complex, he clicked a photograph of his legs dangling off the parapet wall and captioned it “Soon the only thing you would be left with is a picture of me”.

Blue Whale Game, which began in Russia in 2013, is an internet game which assigns a series of tasks to players by the administrators over a 50-day period, and the final challenge requires the player to commit suicide. It’s not just Manpreet’s parents who are shell-shocked now but other parents of young adolescents also find this entire game “ridiculous” and tech-savvy parents are drawing a parallel with the Netflix series called 13 Reasons Why which runs on the same premise where the main characters’ suicide is supported.

“I think teenagers these days are losing grip on what a problem really is. I feel parents should try and keep communications channels open so they can talk to their kids about why this is not a great challenge or fad to follow,” says a visibly upset Ruthu Sreebashyam, a paranoid mother and product marketing manager.

City-based psychologist Dr Geeta Challa feels that issues like these should not be looked at one angle but should be seen from a 360-degree perspective. “When we look at issues like the Blue Whale Game, we need to look at



the participants’ age and its nature too. These are adolescents known for their love of adventure, who want to try new/different things in life. Youngsters don’t comprehend the risk enough so they don’t step back from risk-taking,” she says.

Amrita Kamat, an employee of Google, shares her biggest concern – which is that parents are not educated enough on things going on in the digital world. It’s only much later that they get to know what their kids are up to. “As parents, we definitely need an ear on the ground for these digital phenomena. I don’t remember communicating a lot with my parents as a teenager. I wonder if there is a way to break the silence in a meaningful way,” says Amrita.

Dr Geeta cannot stress enough on the importance of the role of parents. When a youngster goes to the extent of using sharp mutilating body parts, drawing figures on the body with sharp instruments, moving on a high wall or jumping off a building, it is strange and abnormal, says the doctor. “Parents should definitely be monitoring their teenagers,” reiterates the psychologist.

Ratna Sudha, a chartered accountant, shares that they were warned of this game by the school principal where her kids are studying. “It’s very scary… especially in times when parents have no time and are technologically challenged. Kids are more advanced now. And the rising rates of depression amongst teenagers. I’m very concerned for the safety of my children,” says the worried mother of two adolescents.

Like the proverbial coin, everything has two sides to it. While technology and smartphones can be used for help in academics and personal growth, they are also being put to use for such drastic and tragic challenges. Now is probably time for parents to teach youngsters where to draw the line.