Maharashtra teen struggling with online game addiction takes own life, leaves behind 'log-out' note

A 16-year-old teen from Pimpri-Chinchwad, Maharashtra, reportedly addicted to online gaming, died by suicide after falling from the 14th floor of his apartment, according to the police. 

The boy's password-protected laptop remains inaccessible, but police intend to seek the help of cyber experts to determine what game he was involved in. 

According to reports, the teen's choice may have been influenced by his addiction to online gaming, according to initial findings. He left a sketch of a game strategy and the words "Log out" on a note before taking his life.

 

In the last six months, the boy's mother had noticed a dramatic change in her son's behaviour, including increased violence and his uncharacterised extra courage. 

According to his father, the boy unlocked the laptop even though it had a parental lock on it. His father further added that he was good at his studies and started hiding his internet activities by deleting his laptop history and using several email accounts.

His father also said the drawings in his notebook indicated that he was involved in a team game. He added that the game seemed similar to the Blue Whale game.

With the help of cyber experts, police are continuing their investigation to uncover more details about online gaming and its impact on the teen. The boy's parents have even demanded stringent government action to safeguard youngsters, expressing alarm over the easy access to harmful websites. 

Deputy Commissioner of Police Swapna Gore has advised parents to monitor their children's online activities to prevent such incidents.

What is the Blue Whale game challenge?

The Blue Whale Challenge is an online game that originated in Russia and is infamous for its sinister nature. It typically involves a series of tasks or dares assigned to players by a curator over 50 days.

The first tasks could include challenges such as "Wake up in the middle of the night" or "watch a scary film". But gradually, they escalate to more dangerous and sinister ones, like "stand on the ledge of a tower block" or "cut a whale into your arm." The final challenge ultimately ends in asking the user to kill themselves. 

Participants are often forced into completing these tasks through threats, blackmail, or psychological manipulation. The game's name is derived from the behaviour of blue whales, which are known to beach themselves intentionally, which often results in the death of the whale. 

The narrative of the Blue Whale Challenge traces back to a boy's case. A first-year Indian student at the University of Massachusetts was found dead in March 2024 and is being investigated as an apparent suicide by the authorities. According to the reports the 20-year-old was playing the "Blue Whale Challenge," an online game which has also been called a "suicide game."