New Delhi: A second year student of Industrial Training Institute (ITI) in Orissa was on Tuesday rescued from the clutches of Blue Whale challenge and admitted to a hospital “in a shocked state.”
As per reports, the 17-year-old student was playing Blue Whale game during a workshop in the institute when his fellow students noticed it and informed Principal Krushna Chandra Rout.
Rout immediately detained the student in his office and informed his family members. He also informed the police about it. Later, the student was admitted to a hospital by the police.
The youth, who hailed from Jaleswar area in Balasore district, was staying in a private accommodation.
During interrogation, it was found that the student had reached the 11th stage of the Blue Whale game.
“The boy is studying Electrician Trade in Government ITI, Balasore. On getting information from the principal about his abnormal behaviour, we reached the institute and rescued him. We found out that he was mentally depressed and in a state of shock,” Inspector In Charge (IIC) of Sahadevkhunta police station Pragnya Mohanty told Gulf News.
Police said there was no sign of any self-inflicted injury on the youth’s body. He was encouraged by his cousin in Bengaluru to play the deadly game.
“Some of the said youth’s friends observed sudden changes in his behaviour and informed the principal about it. He was behaving in an eccentric manner and constantly glued to phone screen. Presently, we are counselling the student and undertaking his medical treatment. His cousin encouraged him to play the Blue Whale game. We will interrogate his cousin also,” Mohanty added.
Later the institute authorities checked the hostel rooms thoroughly and seized 37 mobile phones from students.
Meanwhile, a 73-year-old man from Madurai in Tamil Nadu on Tuesday approached the Supreme Court seeking a ban on Blue Whale challenge. A bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra and Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud agreed to hear the matter on September 15.
“Till the date September five, media reported that at least 200 people had committed suicide after playing the online Blue Whale game. Most of them are young children under the age group of 13, 14 and 15 years,” advocate NS Ponnaiah said in the petition.
