Blue Whale: SC Tells Centre To Form Expert Panel [Read Petition]

The Supreme Court on Friday has directed the Centre to constitute an expert body to give a report and suggestions to curb suicide incidents arising due to Blue Whale game in the country.

While issuing notice to the Central government on a fresh PIL to ban the deadly online game, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dipak Misra also directed all the high courts not to proceed with any plea relating this game.

The bench passed the order after petitioner’s counsel senior advocate Vijay Hansaria brought to the court’s notice that several petitions pertaining this issue were pending in various high courts.

Filing a PIL, petitioner Sneha Kalita, a practicing advocate, sought the court to frame guidelines to regulate the use of the virtual game in the country.

In her PIL, the petitioner-advocate said a number of teenagers and youngsters were committing suicide/ self harm and grievous hurt on themselves while playing a dangerous and suicidal online game commonly known as ‘Blue Whale’ game.

“The game appears to goad vulnerable teens into killing themselves. It forces them to perform several dangerous activities/ tasks, finally leading them to commit suicide,” as stated in the petition.

Citing that already 13 numbers of deaths had been reported in the verge of completing the task while playing this deadly game, the PIL said incidents of suicides and rescued cases were being reported throughout the country particularly from ‘Assam, Orissa, Mumbai, Delhi, Manipur, Chennai, West Bengal, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Union Territory Puducherry. There is a serious threat of life and rising deaths from this game / challenge”.

On September 15, the apex court had already issued notice to the Centre on a PIL filed by advocate NS Ponnaiah. The government is yet to file its response.