A 17-year-old who was allegedly taking part in the Blue Whale Challenge committed suicide by standing before a running train here, the police said.
"We have got information that the Class XII student was part of the Blue Whale Challenge. We are checking his cell phone and investigating the matter," additional superintendent of police (ASP) Arvind Dubey told PTI.
"On the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, the boy stood before a running train and was taking selfies. His body was found on the tracks this morning," the ASP added.
Dubey said the boy was a resident of Futera Ward and had been influenced by the Blue Whale Challenge over the last few days according to investigations.
He had reached the final stage of the online challenge and to accomplish it, left his home on a motorcycle last night, the ASP added.
The boy reached a rail crossing close to Futera lake and after parking the two-wheeler near the tracks, he started clicking selfies before a running train and ended his life, Dubey said.
He said a CCTV camera installed at a house near the railway crossing had recorded the entire episode.
"We have registered a case and investigating the matter," he said.
The challenge starts by asking participants via social media to draw a whale on a piece of paper, then carve a whale figure on their body. It is followed by other tasks such as watching horror movies alone or waking up at unearthly hours.
The tasks also involve self-harm, while the final challenge is to commit suicide.
Meanwhile, a 21-year-old woman who was allegedly in the advanced stages of finishing the Blue Whale challenge was rescued today, the police said here.
On an information from the woman's friend on a WhatsApp group, that she was acting abnormally and had not returned home since last night, the police traced her on a road along the beach near Gandhi Thidal early this morning, Director General of Police S K Gautam said.
The WhatsApp group was created by Sub-inspector Keerthi to establish contacts with the residents of the area, the DGP said, adding the rescued woman is a bank employee.
She has injuries on her wrist and a paper was recovered from her on which it was written "ten cuts in three days". For the last few days she had locked herself up inside a room in her house, Gautam said.
The woman has been handed over to her parents and she is being counselled, the officer said.
Police have urged the people to alert them if they came across anyone, particularly youths, with abnormal behaviour.
Massive campaigns were also planned to create awareness about the killer challenge, he said.
The DGP presented a commendation certificate and a cash award of Rs 2,000 to the Sub-Inspector who saved the woman.
The constable who had accompanied the SI was also awarded.
Chief Minister V Narayanaswamy had yesterday said that the government would bring in a legislation to curb the menace of Blue Whale challenge and would set up monitoring committees to keep a vigil on the situation.
The Blue Whale Challenge, which originated in Russia, starts by asking participants via social media to draw a blue whale on a piece of paper.
The participants are then asked to carve the shape of a whale onto their body. They are given other "challenges" or "tasks" such as watching horror movies alone. These challenges or dares feature the commission of acts harming oneself. The last stage is suicide.
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