Delhi: Teen attempts suicide, ‘Blue Whale’ suspected

New Delhi: A 16-year-old boy attempted suicide by jumping off the fourth floor of his home in Delhi’s Ashok Vihar on Wednesday. The police is investigating the case to ascertain whether it is a case of the online self-destructive Blue Whale game or any other factor that lead the boy to take the extreme step. The boy is admitted to the Intensive Care Unit of Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in the city.

“We could confirm something only after scanning the mobile phone of the boy. The phone is password protected, and we are contacting IT experts to unlock the phone,” said a senior police official. The boy had jumped off the fourth-floor of his residential building on August 16 in an alleged attempt to commit suicide in northwest Delhi’s Ashok Vihar. He had left his mobile phone, spectacles and a pair of bathroom slippers behind.

While rumours spread in the neighborhood that the boy was doing the Blue Whale Challenge, the police said the boy was upset with a change of school. The police have also siezed his phone for further investigation.

DCP Milind Dumbere said the investigation does not suggested that the case was a result of the Blue Whale Challenge. “We have seized the mobile phone and started the investigation. The handset is password protected and we are trying to unlock it.”

“The boy has changed his school in March and was trying to cope with the new environment,” he said. On Wednesday, his mother was present in the house. The police said the boy went to the terrace and jumped off the building. 

“The statement of some eyewitnesses have also been recorded who saw him jumping off the building. Before jumping, he left his mobile phone, spectacles and a pair of bathroom slippers,” said a police officer.

Some neighbours questioned the theory of the police, suspecting that the boy must be playing the game which took him to the terrace. “They questioned why he took his mobile to the terrace,” said a neighbour.