New Delhi, Aug 29: The government on Wednesday issued an advisory against 'Momo Challenge' - an online game which is reportedly pushing teenagers to commit suicide.

The Ministry of Electronics & IT issued a statement, warning parents to safeguard their wards from the Momo Challenge, which is designed akin to the fatal Blue Whale game. The latter, developed by a Russian gamer, claimed over dozen lives in India last year.

"It is reported in the media that there is a new online challenge game called 'The Momo Challenge which started on Facebook where members are 'challenged' to communicate with unknown numbers. It went viral on social media platforms especially WhatsApp," the advisory was quoted as saying.

The Ministry has further recommended the parents to remain constantly in touch with their children if they appear "persistently distressed". The social media feed of the children should also be monitored, the statement added.

Notably, the government advisory comes in the backdrop of West Bengal CID dismissing reports of suicide in the state due to Momo Challenge. "We have not received any single report of anybody getting a message that has taken him to a page on the internet to play the game. And there was no complaint from family members of those who have committed suicide saying that they have died playing the game," DIG (CID-operations) Nishat Parvez said.

What is the Momo Challenge?

As per the reports, the users who were forced to play the game claim that they receive an unknown message on their WhatsApp, along with a link which connects them to the Momo Challenge.

Those who do not click on the link sent with the text are coerced to do so. According to Abdul Kuddus of West Bengal's Birbhum, he received the message along with the link. When he did not revert, the anonymous sender sent him the details of his bank account, threatening to sweep all his savings if he did not play.

Reports claim that anonymous number is saved in the cell phone of those who play the game. On WhatsApp, a Japanese 'Momo' doll appears as the display picture of the contact. Through the number, the participants are sent a series of tasks -- the final one is to commit suicide.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 29, 2018 11:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).