Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Odisha police to remove Blue Whale game from social media

Odisha police has asked all district police authorities to remove from social media the ‘Blue Whale Challenge’, an online game which allegedly claimed several lives of children in the country.

“You are requested to take steps to ensure that such links of the deadly game in its own name or any similar game is immediately removed from the social media platform," Odisha DGP K B Singh said in an official note to senior officers.


In his directive, Singh told all SPs in the state to keep a watch on various social media outlets and ensure that the suicide game was not available to the users in the state. Singh said this order should be carried out with immediate effect taking into account the urgency of the issue. 

“It is understood that an administrator of the game uses social media platform to invite children to play these game, which may eventually have led to the extreme step for self-inflicting injuries including suicide,” the DGP said.

Recently, a Class X girl in Sambalpur was found hanging from a fan in her room. The girl died at the hospital later. Though the local police were probing the causes of the girl’s death, her parents linked the death to ‘Blue Whale Challenge’. Sambalpur SP Sanjeev Arora has, however, already ruled out the Blue Whale game angle in the incident. 

Notably, the Blue Whale Challenge is reportedly a suicide game in which the player is given certain tasks to complete for a period of 50 days and the final task leads to the player committing suicide. The player is also asked to share photos after finishing each challenge. 

The Delhi High Court has issued notice to the central government, Facebook, Google and Yahoo on a plea seeking direction to the internet majors to take down the links of the Blue Whale game. 

More For You

David Joseph

Joseph has chaired several BRIT Awards shows and was an executive producer of the Oscar and BAFTA-winning 2015 documentary Amy.

David Joseph named new CEO of the RSA

THE ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS (RSA) has announced the appointment of David Joseph CBE as its next chief executive officer. He will take over the role in September, succeeding Andy Haldane.

Joseph previously served as chairman and CEO of Universal Music UK for 17 years. During his time at the company, he oversaw its transformation into a global exporter of British music and worked with several major international artists.

Keep ReadingShow less
Labour Rift Deepens as MPs Prepare for Crucial Welfare Bill Vote

People take part in a protest against disability welfare cuts on June 30, 2025 in London. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

MPs to vote on welfare bill amid Labour divisions

DOZENS of Labour MPs are expected to vote against the government’s welfare reforms despite recent concessions aimed at easing opposition.

The government had initially planned to tighten eligibility for Personal Independence Payment (Pip) but later said the stricter rules would only apply to new claimants from November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
We The Women makes UK debut with stories of courage and truth

Sudha Murthy and Karan Johar

Image Credits: Barkha Dutt / We The Women / Mojo Story

We The Women makes UK debut with stories of courage and truth

Mahesh Liloriya

The acclaimed women-led festival We The Women, curated by veteran journalist Barkha Dutt, made its powerful UK debut on June 29 at London’s Riverside Studios. Presented in partnership with Vedanta, the event brought together transformative voices from India and the British-Indian diaspora, showcasing unfiltered, emotional, and often raw storytelling.

Among the standout moments was Rashmika Mandanna’s candid discussion on her values-first approach to fame. The actor received thunderous applause when she shared, “I’ve said no to scripts because they required me to smoke. If I don’t feel good about something, I won’t do it.” Her firm stance echoed the festival’s core ethos, prioritising authenticity over popularity.

Keep ReadingShow less
Telangana-blast-Reuters

Rescue workers look for survivors after an explosion and fire at a chemical factory, in Sangareddy, Telangana, India, June 30, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

India chemical factory blast death toll rises to 39, probe underway

THE DEATH toll from the explosion and fire at the Sigachi Industries chemical factory in Sangareddy, Telangana, has risen to at least 39, officials said on Tuesday, as rescue teams continued clearing debris for a second day.

The explosion occurred on Monday and turned large parts of the building into rubble. State authorities confirmed the toll had risen to 39, Reuters reported. Thirty-four others were injured in the incident, according to officials.

Keep ReadingShow less
Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

FILE PHOTO: A mother and daughter sit atop the Covid memorial wall on September 9, 2024 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)

Covid inquiry begins probe into care home deaths

THE Covid inquiry has started examining how the pandemic affected care services for older and disabled people, with families describing the crisis as one of the worst failures of the pandemic.

Nearly 46,000 care home residents died with Covid in England and Wales between March 2020 and January 2022, with many deaths happening in the first weeks of the outbreak.

Keep ReadingShow less