Early on Wednesday, three siblings perished after leaping from the ninth floor of their apartment building in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India. This followed their parents’ decision to seize their cell phones. The girls, Pakhi, 12, Prachi, 14, and Nishika, 16, were reportedly engrossed by Korean culture and online gaming.
The tragic event unfolded around 2:15 a.m. on February 4 at the Bharat City Society apartment complex. The sisters retreated to their balcony, locked the door from the inside, and jumped consecutively. Their cries woke their parents and neighbors, but by the time the parents forced their way through the balcony door, all three girls had already plunged to the ground.
ACP Atul Kumar Singh stated, “When we reached the scene, we confirmed that three girls, daughters of Chetan Kumar, had died after jumping from the building.”
The bodies were transported to Loni Hospital, where the girls were pronounced dead. An eight-page suicide note was discovered in a pocket diary, containing messages to their father like “Sorry Papa” and “Korea is our life,” indicating their struggle to relinquish their fixation.
Recently, the parents had limited the girls’ cell phone usage and seized their phones. DCP Nimish Patel stated that the girls had been prohibited from using a cell phone for several days, a restriction that seemed to deeply affect them.
The sisters had developed an obsession with Korean culture, adopting Korean names and becoming engrossed in an online Korean task-based game. Their addiction started during the COVID-19 pandemic, when increased home time resulted in increased screen time and gaming habits. The screen-dominated lifestyle had begun to consume their daily lives, leading them to cease attending school two years ago.
Messages written on the girls’ bedroom wall, such as “I am very very alone,” shed light on their emotional state. The girls did everything together, from eating to bathing, cultivating an unbreakable bond that extended to their online activities. Prachi, the 14-year-old, was the leader of the group.
Their father, Chetan Kumar, is married to two sisters. The family consists of five children, all girls. Two of the deceased girls were from one wife, and the third from the other, making them half-sisters, but they shared a close relationship nonetheless.
Arun Singh, a neighbor who witnessed the incident, reported seeing one girl attempting to prevent the others from jumping. It appears that two of the sisters may have fallen while trying to rescue the third, suggesting that what began as one’s suicide attempt may have escalated into a tragic rescue attempt that led to the demise of all three.
According to the neighbor, an ambulance took an hour to reach the scene. The police are scrutinizing the role of online gaming in the deaths, although no specific game has been named so far. The suicide note provided an account of the girls’ mobile and gaming activities, offering investigators insight into their digital lives.
The father admitted he was oblivious to his daughters’ gaming addiction. He cautioned other parents about allowing children to play games unsupervised, expressing anguish over not knowing what tasks the games might have assigned his daughters. He stated that had he known about the nature of the games, he would never have permitted them to play.
This incident has sparked concerns about the impact of online content and gaming on minors throughout India. Task-based games, which necessitate players to complete certain tasks to progress, have been linked to risky behavior among youngsters in various countries. These games often provide psychological rewards that can establish potent addictive patterns, especially in susceptible adolescents.
Gaming addiction has emerged as a recognized issue among mental health professionals, particularly when it initiates during formative years. The pandemic period saw a significant spike in screen time among children and adolescents globally, as lockdowns and remote learning led to prolonged isolation and increased access to digital entertainment. For some youngsters, this resulted in problematic gaming behaviors that persisted even after pandemic restrictions were lifted.
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 had mostly positive effects, creating cross-cultural connections and entertainment opportunities, it can occasionally lead to intense parasocial relationships and obsessive behaviors among young fans who lack the emotional maturity to set healthy boundaries.
Mental health specialists stress the significance of parental monitoring of children’s online activities, achieved not only through punitive measures but through open communication and understanding. When parents discover problematic behaviors, sudden restriction without addressing underlying emotional needs can sometimes exacerbate distress rather than alleviate it. The delicate balance between safeguarding children and maintaining trust necessitates an ongoing dialogue about digital wellness.
This incident also underscores the difficulties families face when navigating children’s digital lives. Many parents find it challenging to understand the games and online communities their children interact with, creating a knowledge gap that can hinder early intervention when issues arise. Educational programs designed to help parents understand gaming culture and recognize signs of addiction have become increasingly vital.
Warning signs of gaming addiction can include withdrawal from family and friends, deteriorating 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 ceased attending school two years prior, a significant warning sign indicating severe disruption to normal developmental activities.
