Eastern Mirror could confirm that at least two schools in Dimapur had come across instances in which students were found to be indulging in self-harm under peer pressure in Nagaland
DIMAPUR — A dare game in which school students, largely boys, would inflict self-slashes on their limbs using blades, allegedly to prove their bravery or ability to tolerate pain, has found its way into schools in Nagaland.
Eastern Mirror could confirm that at least two schools in Dimapur had come across instances in which students were found to be indulging in self-harm under peer pressure. Reports of a third school could not be independently verified.
As part of the ‘game’, students would remove the blades attached to the pencil sharpeners and engage in the act of self-harm.
The slashes, mostly, are not deep and might go undetected unless someone decides to outdo others to prove his fearlessness, leading to limbs marred with cuts.
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The game in itself, however, is not something new. According to a report by The Times of India in March 2025, around 25 students from a Gujarat school were found with blade scars on their hands and legs, reportedly inflicted by themselves.
According to the same report, the rule of the game was that if a student cut their hand with a blade, they would not have to pay INR 10, whereas failing to do so would require them to pay INR 5 to their peers.
In another case, at least 35 students of a government middle school in Chhattisgarh were found with cut marks on their wrists in February 2026. The students were of classes 6, 7 and 8.
Anecdotal accounts shared on social media also indicate that similar practices have existed among school students for years, often involving dares or attempts to display bravery among peers.