The alleged mastermind behind a suicide cult targeting vulnerable children through social media has been arrested in Russia.
Ilya Sidorov, 26, is accused of encouraging youngsters to self-harm and kill themselves in a twisted game likened to the “Blue Whale challenge” that has been linked to more than 130 deaths.
Children who join the game are told to cut themselves, watch horror films, and go without sleep as they carry out a series of “tasks” apparently aimed at damaging their mental health.
On the 50th day of the “challenge”, they are told to commit suicide.
Mr Sidorov is said to have recruited up to 32 schoolchildren to his group before his dramatic arrest in Moscow.
Sidorov, a postman, broke down under interrogation when he was asked how he instructed a schoolgirl to jump underneath a train. He also admitted to developing the elaborate online game which involved 50 tasks – the last task involves asking teenagers to kill themselves.
He was held on a rooftop in Moscow before being taken to a police station.
The name Blue Whale is believed to be derived from the blue whales who have been known to beach themselves on purpose.
So-called “Blue Whale” groups have been reported in a number of countries including Russia, Ukraine, Portugal, Spain, Britain and France.
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