CHANDIGARH: Following the horror of Blue Whale challenge, a game comprising self harming dares that drew attention of a large number of youths especially schoolkids, schools and parents have got a similar reason to be worried as a new game called ‘ Momo Challenge ’ has come to the fore.Importantly, several schools and parents have discovered that students are already aware about the game as they have received messages about it on WhatsApp.Following a circular issued by CBSE, schools have now started awareness drives in order to keep students away from the game. However, some schools, especially government institutions, are yet to do so as they fear that any discussion on the topic may make even those students not aware about the game more curious.The Momo Challenge consists of a variety of self-harming dares which becomes increasingly risky as the game progresses and it finally ends with suicide challenge.The game involves challenges that encourage teenagers/children/ any other user to engage in series of violent acts as challenges. The game inspires users to add unknown contacts on ‘WhatsApp by the name of ‘Mama’. Once the contact is added, the image of the terrifying Japanese ‘Momo’ doll with bulging eyes appears in contact.The gamecontroller then entices the player to perform a series of challenges and even threatens them with violent images, audios or videos, if players do not follow instructions.Jyot Tewari, a teacher in Sharda Sarvhitkari school in Sector 40, said, “Students are aware about it as my son also received a link on his friends group. But we have not given him a separate phone, so we can monitor his activities easily. But he said his friends too knew about it. So, we are making students aware about it in our schools. We have tried to make them stay away from such games.”The schools that have started awareness drives said they are spreading a word without naming the game. Schools have even issued advisories to parents.“We have issued advisory requesting the parentsto monitor internet and mobile use of their children. Though we are *Source: Union ministry of electronics & ITtalking to students, we are not naming the game because it might lead to curiosity among those who don’t know about it. We are using terms like fatal, dangerous and lethal games,” said Ritu Bali, principal, AKSIPS-41.Some schools are yet to begin a similar drive in view of undergoing exams. They said the issue will be taken up immediately after exams.Prabhjot Kaur, a counsellor in government school Behlana, said, “We had been busy with exams, ‘Swachta Pakhwada’ and ‘Poshan Abhiyan’ this month. So, I will now start planning on how to make students aware about it without making them curious.” Swarn Singh Kamboj, a government schoolteacher-cum-president UT cadre educational employee’s union, had also recently urged the education department to issue a circular to all schools in this regard as maximum government schools were yet to make students aware.