Screengrab of the unknown number from where the Momo challenge message was received. 
Odisha

Police probe to find whether man's death has any link with Momo challenge

Preliminary investigations revealed that Umakanta was addicted to his smartphone and even before going to sleep, his family members had seen him hooked to his phone.

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CUTTACK: The police said they are investigating whether the death of a 25-year-old man whose body was found hanging in Odisha's Cuttack district on Wednesday has anything to do with the Momo challenge.

"We have seized the phone of Umakanta Behera of Umar village, whose body was found hanging from the ceiling of a half-constructed building near his house on Wednesday morning," said Mahanga Police Station inspector Jugal Kishore Das.

Behera was working as a security guard. Based on the written complaint filed by Behera's father, a case has been registered, he said.

"Preliminary investigations revealed that Umakanta was addicted to his smartphone and even before going to sleep on Tuesday night, the family members had seen him hooked to his phone," police said.

The police had earlier issued an advisory warning the youths against the challenges of the online game doing rounds in the social media.

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