The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on Friday took up the suicide of a 19-year-old college student, J. Vignesh, in Vilacheri here by playing the online Blue Whale Challenge as a suo motu public interest litigation petition for hearing.
Acting on newspaper reports, a division bench of Justices K. K. Sasidharan and G. R. Swaminathan observed that the administrator of this dangerous game appeared to be taking psychological control of the victims of the game and prompted them to commit suicide. “The administrator is abetting suicide by manipulating the young minds and exploiting their vulnerable psychological condition,” it said and directed the Registrar (Judicial) to register a public interest litigation petition under Article 226 of the Constitution and implead the Secretary, Union Ministry of Communications; Official in-charge, Computer Emergency Response Team, Ministry of Communications; Principal Secretary, Home Department, Government of Tamil Nadu; Director General of Police, Chennai, Cyber Crime Wing; Director of Social Welfare; Director of School Education; Director of Collegiate Education; Madurai Collector; Madurai Commissioner of Police and Superintendent of Police. Internet cafes across the State also appeared to be promoting the online game Blue Whale Challenge.
“The administrator of the game is playing with the lives of the youth... We should sensitise the youth and, more particularly, the students.” Police and social activists had a definite role to play in this matter and parents had a primary responsibility to watch as to what their children were doing with their smart phones and computers. Those who were playing the game must be given counselling and made to un-install the game.” The petition was posted for admission on September 4.