 "The game, created by a Russian, Philipp Budeikin, is directly targeting children and encouraging them to harm themselves over 50 stages culminating in suicide.")
A class 9 student of Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu district who had reached advanced stages of the 'Blue Whale Challenge' was prevented from taking the fatal plunge, thanks to a prompt intervention by his teacher.
The boy claimed three of his classmates were also playing the controversial game, Jhunjhunu district collector, Dinesh Kumar Yadav said on Friday.
"The boy is terrified and is now being counselled," he said.
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The incident came into light after the victim, a student of state-run Jatia Government Senior Secondary School, was overheard by his teacher that he had cleared "three stages of the game".
Yadav said the student had installed the game on his mobile phone which has now been taken into the custody.
School principal Kamlesh Kumar said the institute had been advising students about the ill-effects of the game in morning prayer sessions. He said the children were also being counselled on the matter.
"On directions of the district collector, a psychiatrist from Jhunjhunu and senior officials of the state school education department counselled students," he said.
