Parents across the world are being warned about a ‘suicide game’ linked to the death of 130 teenagers in Russia, amid reports that it has made its way to the UK and parts of North America.
At least one school in Nigeria is known to have alerted parents to dangers of the new game, most commonly known as the Blue Whale Challenge.
The game encourages youngsters to complete a series of challenges over 50 days, ranging from waking up in the night to cutting themselves.
On the final day of the sick challenge, they are then instructed by their ‘masters’ to commit suicide.
The game, which is played on various social media platforms, is being investigated by police in several countries. They are also reaching out schools about the dangers posed by the game.
Police officers in Britain have previously posted online warnings to alert parents about the challenge.
In Russia, police are investigating the game in relation to dozens of teenage suicides.
Premier International School, Abuja, sent a letter to parents, on April 26, warning them to pay close attention to their children following the emergence of the deathly game.
Also in Britain, MailOnline reported that the headteacher of a school reached out to parents in a letter about the dangers of the game.
It read: “We have discovered a game through the police that we feel you should be aware of.
“It is called The Blue Whale Game and is played via many social media platforms. Players are given a master who controls them for 50 days and each day they are given a task to complete.
“On the 50th day the masters behind the game instruct the young people to commit suicide and sadly across the world some have done this.”
Panic over the online challenge was prompted by the death of two teenagers in Russia in February.
Yulia Konstantinova, 15, and Veronika Volkova, 16, fell to their deaths from the roof of an apartment block in industrial Ust-Ilimsk.
Meanwhile a girl named only as Ekaterina, 15, was critically injured after she fell onto snowy ground from a flat in the city of Krasnoyarsk.
Just two days beforehand a 14-year-old girl from Chita was reported to have thrown herself under a commuter train.
In all cases, state investigators are probing whether the Internet ‘suicide game’ has influenced the girls to seek to take their lives.
Yulia left a note saying “End” on her social page and earlier she had posted a picture with big blue whale. Her friend Veronika wrote: “Sense is lost… End.”
In the Chita case, transport police confirmed that the suicide game “Blue Whale” is seen as a possible “cause of death”.
A second girl had made plans to kill herself with the dead teenager, but changed her mind at the last moment.
Teenagers are urged to use a knife or razor to make the shape of a whale on their wrist or leg, say Russian reports.
They are also urged to watch horror movies all day, and to wake themselves at 4.20am.
Panic Over Suicidal Internet Game Targeting Teens …. Linked to 130 Deaths in Russia
ByEditor
Apr 29, 2017
The large blue whale symbol of the game