Parents told to keep eye on kids, check blue terror

Mumbai: The Bombay high court while holding that parents have to play their part in keeping an eye on the activities of their children, who may get influenced by online games like the Blue Whale Challenge, directed the state government to file an affidavit in response to the public interest litigation seeking a ban on the game that has sparked suicides among youngsters across the country. The challenge requires players to undertake dangerous tasks over a number of days and culminates with the final task of taking one’s own life.

A division bench of Chief Justice Dr Manjula Chellur and Justice N.M. Jamdar was hearing the PIL filed by a city-based NGO Citizen Circle for Social Welfare and Education wherein the NGO had sought directions to the state to put an end to the online game. The petition had also sought setting up of a 24-hour helpline number for children and their parents to call in case of falling into the trap of the challenge. It also sought legal action against persons found to be promoting or circulating the challenge and put an end to the availability of the game.

Advocate Hiten Venegaonkar, appearing for the Maharashtra government, told the bench that a similar matter was pending before the Gujarat high court, in which the Centre had informed the court about an advisory issued by it against the game. On August 11, the Union information and broadcasting ministry had written to Google India, asking it to block the links related to the online game. The bench then asked the state to file an affidavit stating the same within a week.