A BRITISH man has been stabbed to death after a row broke out as friends played the sick Blue Whale suicide game in Portugal, reports say.
A 26-year-old man, also described as British, is understood to have confessed after handing himself in to cops.
1
Local reports say the knife attack happened during a row while a group of friends were playing the notorious Blue Whale suicide game.
Police found the 35-year-old victim’s body in remote woodland between the localities of Poco Negro and Soalheira, near the town of Pedrogao Grande, on Sunday.
They had been alerted by friends of the victim, who accompanied them to the scene.
One of the pals is said to have ended up confessing to killing him during the horrifying Blue Whale game.
According to reports, he went to a police station around a 15-minute drive from the scene to tell officers what had happened.
A GNR (National Republican Guard) source told local press: “He was accompanied by two other people who had witnessed the incident.”
The knife he allegedly used is said to have been recovered at the scene after they went with officers to the remote woodland spot where the victim’s body was found.
Detectives with Portugal’s Policia Judiciaria spent yesterday questioning at least three men and two women, including the Brit described as the chief suspect.
It is understood the group that raised the alarm attended a private party on Saturday night near the area where the victim’s body was found before heading to the remote woodland spot.
The people questioned by police, including the suspect, are thought to be part of a group of foreigners living in a commune near to the crime scene.
They have been described locally mainly as British and Dutch nationals.
Footage published by Portuguese daily Correio da Manha showed GNR officers lifting the dead man’s body on a stretcher after it was covered with a sheet and putting it into the back of a nearby police van.
A waiting Red Cross ambulance took it to Coimbra after police reached the nearest tarmacked road.
The so-called Blue Whale Challenge has been linked to numerous deaths around the world.
It encourages teens to take part in a series of 50 tasks which include self-harming and eventually taking their own life.
You’re Not Alone
EVERY 90 minutes in the UK a life is lost to suicide.
It doesn’t discriminate, touching the lives of people in every corner of society – from the homeless and unemployed to builders and doctors, reality stars and footballers.
It’s the biggest killer of people under the age of 35, more deadly than cancer and car crashes.
And men are three times more likely to take their own life than women.
Yet it’s rarely spoken of, a taboo that threatens to continue its deadly rampage unless we all stop and take notice, now.
That is why Central Recorder launched the You’re Not Alone campaign.
The aim is that by sharing practical advice, raising awareness and breaking down the barriers people face when talking about their mental health, we can all do our bit to help save lives.
Let’s all vow to ask for help when we need it, and listen out for others… You’re Not Alone.
If you, or anyone you know, needs help dealing with mental health problems, the following organisations provide support:
- CALM,www.thecalmzone.net, 0800 585 858
- Heads Together,www.headstogether.org.uk
- Mind,www.mind.org.uk, 0300 123 3393
- Papyrus,www.papyrus-uk.org, 0800 068 41 41
- Samaritans,www.samaritans.org, 116 123
- Movember,www.uk.movember.com
- Anxiety UK www.anxietyuk.org.uk, 03444 775 774 Monday-Friday 9.30am-10pm, Saturday/Sunday 10am-8pm
FOR KIDS: How to say no
It can sometimes be hard to stand up to your friends, so Childline offers the following tips on how to say no:
1) Say it with confidence:
Be assertive. It’s your choice and you don’t have to do something which makes you feel unsafe or uncomfortable.
2) Try not to judge them:
By respecting their choices, they should respect yours.
3) Spend time with friends who can say ‘no’:
It takes confidence and courage to say no to your friends. Spend time with other friends who also aren’t taking part.
4) Suggest something else to do:
If you don’t feel comfortable doing what your friends are doing, suggest something else to do.
Any child worried about peer pressure or online worries can contactChildlineon 0800 1111.