NDTV Written by Sheikh Zaffar Iqbal | September 11, 2017
JAMMU: With rising incidents of children committing suicide by taking the blue whale challenge throughout the country, the Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to run special campaigns in schools for awareness. Students are taught about the disastrous effects of the challenge to prevent them from playing the game and ending their lives.
A 16-year-old girl in Jammu says she was keen to play the blue whale challenge until just a week ago. The 10th standard student was curious to know what is pushing young people to commit suicide. But not anymore, thanks to the special anti-blue whale counselling sessions at her school.
“My friend told me that we make fake internet accounts and play this game, I wanted to play this game also, but when I heard so many suicide cases are taking place and then counselling started in schools also, then I thought it is wrong and decided not to play it” the teenager told NDTV.
Awareness committees, which comprise of school officials, are being set up. Social media is used to spread the message.
“Since the directions were given by the director education, all schools have taken initiative, all the government schools are running awareness campaigns”, said Fareeda Javed, Principal of a government-run girls school.
Several private schools have also chipped in and launched similar awareness campaigns.
“Our teachers are telling us not to get inclined to play the game which can harm our life, every day coordinators of this campaign tell us this,” said Manu Kumari, a Student Shiksha Niketan School in Jammu.
“Instead of just shutting this game, it is better that we educate the students about the harmful effects of this game, this can give us good results,” said Rameshwar Mengi, principal of Shiksha Niketan School, Jammu.
The blue whale game has emerged as a major threat and reportedly claimed over a hundred lives world over. Nearly half a dozen cases of children playing the blue whale challenge have emerged in India recently.
