Delhi HC asks Google, Yahoo, Whatsapp to respond over plea seeking ban on Blue Whale Challenge

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notices to Centre and Delhi Police demanding their response to a plea seeking ban on online game 'Blue Whale Challenge'.

Taking a stern stand on the suicide game, the court also asked the MDs of Facebook India, Google India and Yahoo India to respond in the matter. 

Next date of hearing has been set for September 19. 

Earlier on August 17, the high court admitted to hear the plea seeking ban on the infamous online game, which has led to the suicide of a number of children in India and abroad. 

The high court expressed concern over children allegedly committing suicide while playing the online game.

Read | Delhi High Court expresses concern over deadly game causing children's suicide

The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was moved in the high court seeking directions to internet companies like Google, Facebook and Yahoo to take down the links of the Blue Whale Challenge game. 

In the petition, it was also submitted that more than six children across India in the age group of 12-19 years have taken their lives playing this game within a span of two weeks.

The deadly online challenges players for over 50 days, wherein demanding them to complete tasks given by an anonymous controller. The game firstly asks the player to draw a whale on a piece of paper, then carve a whale figure on their body, and then gives other tasks such as watching horror movies alone etc. The tasks include the final challenge to commit suicide.

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