Two Children Secretly Leave Home After Watching 24-hr Hiding Challenge on YouTube

Meerut: Two children, aged 11 and 7, left their home in Hastinapur after watching a YouTube video about a “Secret House” game and decided to attempt a similar 24-hour challenge themselves, police said on Monday.

The children, residents of B-Block colony in Hastinapur, went missing from their home on Sunday afternoon, prompting their families to search the neighbourhood and relatives’ homes. When they could not be traced, the families informed the police.

According to Circle Officer (Mawana) Pankaj Lavania, the children had been inspired by gaming content they watched on YouTube. They subsequently set up a makeshift base at a secluded spot near a farmhouse, where they planned to hide for 24 hours.

Police and the ‘Mission Shakti’ team launched a search operation and safely located the children within about two hours. They were subsequently handed over to their families.

During questioning, the children told police that they had watched the gaming content and decided to recreate the challenge themselves. In the game featured in the video, participants build a hidden base and remain concealed there for 24 hours while following certain rules.

Police said the children had suddenly disappeared from home, leading to the immediate search and their eventual safe recovery.

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