Three sisters died early Wednesday after jumping from the ninth floor of their apartment building in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, following their parents’ decision to confiscate their mobile phones. The girls — Pakhi, 12, Prachi, 14, and Nishika, 16 — had reportedly become obsessed with Korean culture and online gaming.
The incident occurred around 2:15 a.m. at the Bharat City Society apartment complex. The sisters went to their balcony, bolted the door from inside, and jumped one by one. Their screams alerted parents and neighbors, but by the time the parents broke down the balcony door, all three girls had already fallen.
“When we reached the scene, we confirmed that three girls, daughters of Chetan Kumar, had died after jumping from the building,” said ACP Atul Kumar Singh.
The bodies were taken to Loni Hospital, where the girls were declared dead. An eight-page suicide note was found written in a pocket diary. The note contained messages to their father, including “Sorry Papa” and “Korea is our life,” indicating the girls could not leave Korea and expressing their inability to give up their obsession.
The parents had recently restricted the girls’ mobile phone access and confiscated their phones. DCP Nimish Patel said the girls had been denied access to a mobile phone for the past few days, a restriction that appeared to have affected them deeply.
The three sisters had become obsessed with Korean culture, adopting Korean names and becoming addicted to an online Korean game. Their addiction began during the COVID-19 pandemic, when increased time at home led to heightened screen time and gaming habits. The girls had stopped attending school two years ago, their daily lives increasingly consumed by their digital world.
Wall writings found in the girls’ bedroom included messages such as “I am very very alone,” revealing the emotional state of the children. The girls did everything together, including eating and bathing, forming an inseparable bond that extended to their online activities. Prachi, the 14-year-old, was the leader of the group.
The father, Chetan Kumar, is married to two sisters. The family has five children, all daughters. Two of the deceased girls were from one wife, while the third was from the other, making them half-sisters who nonetheless shared a close relationship.
A neighbor, Arun Singh, witnessed the incident unfold. He reported seeing one girl trying to stop the others from jumping. Two of the sisters may have fallen while trying to save the third, suggesting that what began as a suicide attempt by one may have turned into a desperate rescue effort that ended in tragedy for all three.
“It is clear that the girls were influenced by Korean culture and have mentioned it in the suicide note,” DCP Patel said.
The neighbor also stated that an ambulance took one hour to arrive at the scene. Police are investigating the role of online gaming in the deaths, though no specific game has been identified yet. The suicide note detailed the girls’ mobile and gaming activities, providing investigators with insight into their digital lives.
The father said he was unaware of his daughters’ addiction to gaming. He warned other parents about letting children play games without supervision, expressing devastation over not knowing what tasks the games might have been giving his daughters. He said if he had known about the nature of the games, he would never have let them play.
The incident has raised concerns about the influence of online content and gaming on minors across India. Task-based games, which require players to complete certain activities to advance to the next stage, have been linked to dangerous behavior among young people in multiple countries. These games often provide psychological rewards that can create powerful addictive patterns, particularly in vulnerable adolescents.
Gaming addiction has become a recognized concern among mental health professionals, particularly when it develops during formative years. The pandemic period saw a significant increase in screen time among children and adolescents worldwide, as lockdowns and remote learning created extended periods of isolation and increased access to digital entertainment. For some young people, this led to problematic gaming behaviors that persisted even after pandemic restrictions eased.
The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, has swept across Asia and beyond, bringing Korean music, television dramas, films, and gaming culture to international audiences. While this cultural phenomenon has been largely positive, creating cross-cultural connections and entertainment opportunities, it can sometimes lead to intense parasocial relationships and obsessive behaviors among young fans who lack the emotional maturity to maintain healthy boundaries.
Mental health experts emphasize the importance of parental monitoring of children’s online activities, not through punitive measures alone, but through open communication and understanding. When parents discover problematic behaviors, sudden restriction without addressing underlying emotional needs can sometimes intensify distress rather than resolve it. The balance between protecting children and maintaining trust requires ongoing dialogue about digital wellness.
The case also highlights the challenges families face in navigating children’s digital lives. Many parents struggle to understand the games and online communities their children engage with, creating a knowledge gap that can prevent early intervention when problems develop. Educational programs aimed at helping parents understand gaming culture and recognize warning signs of addiction have become increasingly important.
Warning signs of gaming addiction can include withdrawal from family and friends, declining academic performance, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities, disrupted sleep patterns, and emotional distress when unable to play. In this case, the girls had already stopped attending school two years prior, a significant red flag that indicated severe disruption to normal developmental activities.
The tragedy in Ghaziabad serves as a stark reminder of the need for comprehensive approaches to children’s mental health that address both their digital and offline lives. As technology continues to evolve and new platforms emerge, families, educators, and policymakers must work together to create environments where young people can safely navigate the digital world while maintaining healthy connections to the physical world around them.