CUTTACK: An engineering student, who claimed to have completed several levels of the dangerous Blue Whale game, was rescued by Commissionerate police on Tuesday. The 20-year-old boy, who hails from Keonjhar district, was studying in a private engineering college in Cuttack . He was rescued from his hostel located in CDA locality and was handed over to his family members."The boy was a bit depressed. We have counseled him and also informed his parents about the entire incident," said DCP, Akhileswar Singh. Police said the boy was playing the Blue Whale game that challenges its players with 50 tasks, the last being taking one's own life, for last few days and had completed nine tasks. This was the first case of Blue Whale challenge in the state.A friend of the victim had tweeted to Odisha Police on Monday night seeking help to rescue the boy after he got to know about his involvement in Blue Whale game through social media. Acting swiftly, the commissionerate police contacted the boy, counseled him thoroughly and saved him from the clutches of the Blue Whale challenge.Apparently, the student had reached the tenth level of the game and he had drawn an image of a whale on his hand using a needle. "During questioning, the boy has told us that he has performed several tasks like drinking a glass of water by adding 20 spoons of salt in it, watching horror movies in night. Out of fear, the boy had broken his mobile phone so we were not able to get many details about the game," said ACP, Pramod Rath.During investigation, police also got information that three more students in the hostel were playing the infamous game. "We checked mobile phones of the students but found nothing. However, the engineering college authority has been asked to keep vigil on students, especially those staying in hostels," said a police officer.Meanwhile, the police have decided to launch special awareness drive in colleges and schools in the Millennium city to educate students not to get indulge in the infamous game. "Out of curiosity children are getting into the game. They submit some details while registering on the game and on basis of it the game administrator threatens them to harm them and their family if they quit the game midway. We appeal students to seek police help immediately," said Singh.The incident has also forced state government to chalk out measures to save youngsters from the clutches of the suicidal game. On Tuesday, state information and technology minister Chandra Sarathi Behera convened a high level meeting to discuss on the issue. Similarly, the state police has also directions to all district SPs to intensify web patrolling and take up any complaint related to Blue Whale game on a priority basis.

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