Karan Thakur was upset over leaving cricket, says principal

Tribune News Service 

Chandigarh, September 25 

Principal of DAV Public School, Sector 8, Vibha Ray said they had identified eight to 10 students who were in touch with suicide victim Karan Thakur. 

“As soon as we got information by 11 am, we started collecting names of the students who were in touch with the victim. We called their parents in the school and told them not to leave their children alone even for a minute. We have asked them to check their mobile phones. As of now, there is no evidence that they are also playing the Blue Whale game,” said Ray. 

She added that the parents had been advised to take help of school counsellors and if needed clinical help would also be provided. 

The identified students are either of Karan’s class or Class XI.  "As of I know, the admintrator of this game advises children to hide their inner feelings and pretend to be happy. As a result, sometimes counsellors are not able to identify the signs," she said.

"Karan Thakur suffered from dengue and remained absent for a number of days in the last two months. He had a back problem too. He used to play cricket which he had to leave because of it. He did not show any sign of depression. But yes, once he had told the counsellor he was not happy about leaving cricket. He was counselled by a parent-teacher. It is a concept exercised in the school where student and teachers interact freely."

—Vibha Ray, principal, DAV Public School