Three sisters died on Feb. 4, 2026, after leaping from the ninth floor of their apartment building in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, after their parents took away their mobile phones. The girls — Pakhi, 12, Prachi, 14, and Nishika, 16 — had developed a deep fixation on Korean culture and online gaming.
The tragedy occurred around 2:15 a.m. at the Bharat City Society residential complex. The girls went onto their balcony, locked the door from the inside, and jumped one after another. Their cries alerted their parents and neighbors, but by the time the family managed to break open the balcony door, all three had already fallen.
“When we arrived at the location, we verified that three girls, daughters of Chetan Kumar, had died after jumping from the building,” stated ACP Atul Kumar Singh.
The bodies were transported to Loni Hospital, where doctors confirmed the deaths. Authorities recovered an eight-page suicide note written in a small diary. The note included messages to their father, such as “Sorry Papa” and “Korea is our life,” reflecting their struggle to give up their fixation.
The parents had recently limited the girls’ access to mobile phones and had taken the devices away. According to DCP Nimish Patel, the girls had been without a phone for several days, a restriction that appeared to have had a significant impact on them.
The sisters had grown increasingly absorbed in Korean culture, even adopting Korean names, and had become hooked on an online Korean task-based game. Their dependence began during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when extended time at home led to excessive screen use and gaming. They had not attended school for two years, their lives becoming dominated by online activities.
Messages written on the bedroom walls, including “I am very very alone,” offered insight into their emotional condition. The three were described as extremely close. They did nearly everything together: eating, bathing and gaming. Prachi, the 14-year-old, was considered the leader among them.
The father, Chetan Kumar, is married to two sisters. The family includes five daughters. Two of the girls who died were children of one wife, and the third belonged to the other, though the three were extremely close despite being half-sisters.
A neighbor, Arun Singh, witnessed part of the incident. He stated that he saw one sister trying to prevent the others from jumping. The neighbor said two of the girls appeared to fall while attempting to stop the third. Police are investigating the sequence of events.
The neighbor also mentioned that it took an ambulance nearly an hour to reach the site. Police are examining whether online gaming played a role, though they have not yet identified any specific game. The suicide note described the girls’ mobile and gaming habits, giving investigators a clearer picture of their online behavior.
The father said he had no idea his daughters were so deeply involved in gaming. He warned other parents about allowing children to play games without supervision, expressing deep regret that he did not understand what types of tasks the games were assigning to his daughters. He noted that if he had known, he would never have permitted them to play.
The case has increased national concern regarding the influence of online content and gaming on minors in India. Task-oriented games — which require players to complete missions to progress — have been linked to dangerous behavior among youth in several countries. These games often use psychological rewards that can foster strong addictive tendencies, particularly among vulnerable adolescents.
Gaming addiction has become a recognized issue for mental health experts, especially when it takes root during childhood or adolescence. The pandemic led to a major increase in screen time worldwide, as remote learning and social isolation kept children indoors. For some young people, these habits evolved into long-term gaming dependency even after restrictions were lifted.
The Korean Wave, or Hallyu, has gained immense popularity across Asia and globally, bringing K-pop, Korean dramas, films, and gaming culture to diverse audiences. While largely positive, this cultural trend can sometimes fuel intense parasocial attachments and obsessive behavior among younger fans who may lack the emotional maturity to maintain healthy boundaries.
Mental health professionals stress the need for parents to monitor children’s online activities — not only through restrictions, but through communication and empathy. Sudden punishment without addressing emotional needs can increase distress rather than reduce it. Protecting children while maintaining trust requires consistent conversation about healthy digital habits.
The case also underscores the difficulty parents face in understanding their children’s digital environments. Many parents are unfamiliar with the games and online communities children participate in, creating a knowledge gap that can hinder early intervention. Educational programs that teach parents about gaming culture and warning signs of addiction have become increasingly essential.
Warning signs of gaming addiction may include withdrawing from loved ones, falling grades, losing interest in previous hobbies, disrupted sleep routines, and emotional distress when unable to play. In this situation, the girls had already left school two years earlier, a major indicator of severe disruption in normal development.