Three sisters aged 12, 14 and 16 were found dead early Wednesday after allegedly jumping from their ninth-floor apartment in a residential society in Ghaziabad, in a case police suspect is linked to addiction to an online task-based “Korean love game”.

Police said the girls — identified as Vishika (16), Prachi (14) and Pakhi (12) — had locked themselves inside a room before the incident. Family members broke open the door after hearing loud noises, but by then the sisters had already fallen.

Obsession with online game under probe

Investigators said the siblings had been deeply attached to the online game since the Covid-19 period and had reportedly adopted Korean aliases. They were known to follow a shared routine, doing most daily activities together.

An eight-page handwritten diary was recovered from the home. Police said the note expressed emotional distress and contained repeated apologies to their parents. Writings were also found on the bedroom wall indicating feelings of loneliness. The contents are being examined as part of the investigation.

Family, schooling and access to devices

According to police, the girls had not been attending school for nearly two years, reportedly due to the family’s financial difficulties. They did not own personal mobile phones and accessed online content using their father’s phone.

Their father, Chetan Kumar, said he was unaware of the nature of the game. “What has happened is devastating. I urge parents to closely monitor what their children are exposed to online,” he said.

Growing concern over online gaming addiction

Officials noted similarities with past cases involving online challenges and gaming-related psychological distress among children. Authorities have urged parents and schools to remain vigilant and seek timely counselling support when behavioural changes are noticed.

The police said further action would follow after a detailed forensic and digital analysis.

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