Pune: A 20-years-old youth committed suicide in Perne Phata area of the district on Wednesday night after playing the Blue Whale game.
After investigations, the police discovered that the boy was playing 'Blue Whale' game. They have registered a case of accidental death in the matter.
Santosh Mali, 20, a second-year B.Com student, was found hanging in his home on Thursday morning by his family members, who immediately called the police.
On reaching the spot, police recovered a paper on which was written- 'For those who have kept Blank Panther in the cage. Blank Panther is now free from the cage and he has no restrictions from anyone at all. The end. Our sun will shine again."
Upon investigation, police found 'Blue Whale' symbols on his social media accounts and established that he was following a task in the 'Blue Whale' game and while doing it, he committed suicide.
"A 20-years-old youth, Santosh Mali, who was studying in the second year BCom in the college, was addicted to Blue Whale mobile game. While completing the game's task, he hanged himself," said Police Inspector D S Hake of Lonikand Police Station.
Several cases of deaths due to 'Blue Whale' game were reported in India last year.
The deadly online game challenges players for over 50 days, demanding them to complete tasks given by an anonymous controller.
The game initially asks the player to draw a whale on a piece of paper, then carve a whale figure on their body, and then gives other tasks such as watching horror movies alone at odd hours. The task concludes with the final challenge, that is, committing suicide.
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