The investigation into the deaths of three minor sisters in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, has uncovered a complex picture of family relationships, isolation and emotional distress, police said on Saturday.
The sisters — Nishika (16), Prachi (14) and Pakhi (12) — died earlier this week after jumping from the ninth floor of their residential building in Bharat City Society, located in the Trans-Hindon area. The case has shocked residents and prompted intense scrutiny of the family’s circumstances.
Mobile phone dispute and isolation
Police said the girls had been distressed after their father, Chetan Kumar, confiscated and later sold their mobile phones, reportedly due to concerns over their growing attachment to Korean popular culture and online gaming. Investigators believe the phones were a key link to their social world, especially as the sisters had not attended school since the Covid-19 pandemic and were not being homeschooled.
On the night of the incident, the girls allegedly attempted to access certain applications using their mother’s phone but were unsuccessful. Forensic teams have seized devices and written material, including a handwritten note addressed to their father and a nine-page diary recovered from their room.
Diary points to emotional turmoil
According to police, the diary reflects a deep emotional bond among the sisters, intense feelings of loneliness and resentment, and a strong identification with Korean music, dramas and online content. Writings found in the room reportedly express isolation and distress, with the sisters describing themselves as living in a separate world.
The note recovered from the scene reportedly apologised to their father and urged him to read the diary, which police say provides insight into their state of mind.
Broader family background under review
During questioning, police confirmed that the father has three wives, all sisters, and that the girls appeared to be more emotionally attached to him than to their mothers. Investigators are also reviewing an earlier case involving the death of the father’s former live-in partner in 2015, which was then closed as a suicide.
Police said the probe is ongoing from multiple angles, including cyber analysis and forensic reports, to fully understand the circumstances that led to the tragedy.