On a day the Centre moved closer to a ban on the killer online game Blue Whale, reports of a suspected suicide triggered by the game emerged from Thiruvananthapuram.
The family of Manoj Chandran (16), a plus one student from Vilappilsala here who hanged himself on July 26, said Tuesday he had downloaded the game and used to take up tasks as specified in the game. Anu, Manoj’s mother, told media that her son had on a couple of occasions discussed his death during casual conversations. The family has revealed the cause of his death following media reports on how the game could lead the players to harm themselves and death.
Manoj’s mother told a television channel that he had marked alphabets on his arm with a compass. He also visited cemeteries and used to watch a series of horror films after he downloaded the game, about nine months ago.
The police, however, are yet to confirm that the game led to Manoj’s death. Sources said the patterns adding up to Manoj’s death didn’t match challenges prescribed in the game.
Manoj had committed suicide by hanging, and not by jumping off a high-rise building, as the game stipulated.
On August 12, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a ban on the game across the country.
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