Shocking game challenge: 40 students slash hands in Gujarat school

In a shocking incident in Gujarat , over 40 students at a government school in Amreli district wounded themselves with pencil sharpener blades as part of a bizarre game challenge. A Class 7 student allegedly initiated the challenge, influenced by a video game, offering Rs 10 to those who participated. The incident took place at Mota Munjiasar Primary School, where over 300 students are enrolled. What started as a dare among a few students quickly escalated, with participants spinning a blade in their hands to win Rs 10. Those who refused had to forfeit Rs 5. A Class 5 student soon joined in, leading to nearly 40 students self-inflicting injuries.
School authorities concealed the incident for eight days instead of informing parents. Families remained unaware until one observant parent discovered the wounds and demanded answers. Under pressure, the school convened a parents' meeting, but rather than taking responsibility, administrators made students sign a written statement admitting fault and vowing not to repeat the act. "This happened eight days ago," said Rasikbhai Rathod, a resident. "A mother noticed her child’s injuries while bathing him. Afraid of the teacher’s reaction, the child initially downplayed it."
ASP Jayveer Gadhvi confirmed that around 20-25 students were directly involved. "The principal learned about the incident on March 18 or 19 and called a parents' meeting on March 21. The game was not influenced by mobile phones but rather by word-of-mouth among students," he added. Following public outcry, local authorities launched an investigation. Education Minister Praful Pansaria warned that such dangerous trends pose a serious threat to children's safety. "We’ll review the report and urge all schools to stay alert. Parents must curb mobile addiction—it can push children toward self-harm or worse," he stated.
District Primary Education Officer Kishore Miyani added that students would receive counseling, and teachers would be questioned. "Action will be taken against anyone found guilty," he assured. The case has sparked concerns over children's exposure to harmful trends, whether through peer influence or digital media. Days after at least 35-40 students of a government school in Amreli allegedly sustained cut marks on their arms from a sharpener blade, reportedly as part of some challenge, the district education authorities have decided to counsel over 1.5 lakh government primary students of 751 schools in the entire district, people familiar with the matter said on Wednesday.
Amreli SP Sanjay Kharat highlighted that children from Classes 6 and 7 were most involved in the challenge. "They challenged each other to cut their hands. If they succeeded, they got Rs 10; if they refused, they lost Rs 5. However, they used sharpener blades, not knives," he clarified. Mota Munjiyasar village sarpanch Jaysukhbhai Khetani alsp stated that the incident remained hidden due to pressure from teachers and students. "It only came out on March 20," he revealed.
Education officer Ghanshyam Solanki confirmed that while students claimed they did it "for fun," some might have initially been motivated by money. "We realized they acted out of innocence, but it’s still alarming," he said. The incident exposes the perilous impact of video games on young minds.

(State Correspondent)