In the wake of suicide reports from across the country by playing ‘Momo challenge’, the Odisha Crime Branch would shortly issue an advisory against the deadly online game to guard children.
Crime Branch ADG Santosh Kumar Upadhyay said the advisory would be issued to keep youths away from the Momo challenge online game. The guidelines would be sent to the SPs in all districts and the two DCPs of the Commissionerate police in Bhubaneswar and Cuttack.
He advised parents to instal parental control software on the computers at home to keep track of any deadly online game to have been used or downloaded by their children.
It is the responsibility of parents to check their children’s computers or laptops every day. If their children are using smartphone, the parents are suggested to check the call records, search history, Facebook and WhatsApp on their phones, the ADG said.
The Crime Branch took the quick initiative after the Union Ministry of Electronics and IT issued an advisory against the Momo challenge, an online game similar to the Blue Whale game that forces children, teenagers and youngsters to commit suicide.
The Government has asked parents to observe the signs and symptoms in their children and notice whether they get withdrawn from family and friends and have a low mood and are unhappy.
The Momo challenge featuring an image of a girl with a distorted face and eyes bulging out called ‘Mother Bird by link Factory’ went viral on social media, especially in WhatsApp. It has allegedly claimed several lives in parts of the country.
