“Initially reported as a murder, the death of the first-year University of Massachusetts student found in a car in Freetown on March 8 is now under investigation as an “apparent suicide.”
The tragic demise of a 20-year-old Indian student in the United States has been tied to the infamous Blue Whale challenge, shedding light on the dark underbelly of online gaming and its potential deadly consequences. Initially reported as a murder, the death of the first-year University of Massachusetts student found in a car in Freetown on March 8 is now under investigation as an “apparent suicide,” according to Gregg Miliote, a spokesperson for the Bristol County District Attorney.
* Participants are manipulated through blackmail and cyberbullying tactics, unable to halt their participation once initiated
* The chilling nature of the Blue Whale challenge underscores the urgent need for heightened awareness and preventive measures to safeguard vulnerable individuals from its deadly grip
Though the identity of the deceased remains undisclosed as per the family’s request, speculations suggest the student from Andhra Pradesh may have fallen victim to the sinister allure of the Blue Whale challenge. This online ‘game’, described by the Indian government as “the suicide game,” involves participants undertaking 50 progressively challenging tasks over 50 days, culminating in a final task to take their own lives.
While US officials have refrained from confirming the student’s involvement in the Blue Whale challenge, concerns over the game’s influence have resurfaced. The Indian government had previously considered banning the game, opting instead to issue a detailed advisory in 2017 warning of its dangers. Described as “abetment to suicide,” the game preys on individuals battling depression, luring them into secretive online groups where they are coerced into completing tasks under the direction of anonymous “curators” or “group administrators.”
Participants are manipulated through blackmail and cyberbullying tactics, unable to halt their participation once initiated. The chilling nature of the Blue Whale challenge underscores the urgent need for heightened awareness and preventive measures to safeguard vulnerable individuals from its deadly grip.
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