A devastating family tragedy unfolded earlier this week when three sisters died after falling from the ninth floor of their apartment building in Ghaziabad, near New Delhi, India.
According to reports confirmed by relatives and local authorities, the girls had been heavily engaged with an online game and had recently lost access to their mobile phones. While officials have not formally established a direct link between the game and the incident, investigators say the sisters left behind a detailed handwritten note.
Police responded to emergency calls at approximately 2:15 a.m. local time on Wednesday, February 4, reporting that three minors had fallen from a residential high-rise.
In a statement shared by authorities, the victims were identified as Nishika, approximately 16 years old; Prachi, approximately 14; and Pakhi, approximately 12. All three were daughters of Chetan Kumar and were pronounced dead at the scene after falling to the ground floor.
“When officers arrived, we confirmed that the three girls had fallen from the building and died as a result of their injuries,” a police official told local media.
Note Found at the Scene
Investigators recovered a diary from the sisters’ belongings. Reports from Press Trust of India (PTI) indicate the diary contained eight pages of handwritten content. One message reportedly read: “Read everything written in this diary, it is all here,” followed by a crying emoji and the words, “Sorry papa, I am really sorry.”
Authorities have confirmed the diary is now part of the ongoing investigation.
Police also stated that the sisters had not attended school and had remained at home for the past two years.
Family Background and Online Activity
The girls’ father, Chetan Kumar, works as a forex trader. He has two wives, who are sisters, and the family has five children in total. All family members reportedly lived together in the same household.
According to PTI, the sisters had become deeply interested in a Korean online game that involved completing a sequence of tasks. Their father told reporters that they had been playing the game for approximately two and a half to three years and had frequently expressed a desire to travel to South Korea.
Officials noted that the girls’ screen use increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Deputy Commissioner of Police Nimish Patel told NDTV that the sisters had recently been restricted from using a mobile phone, a change that may have significantly affected them emotionally.
“For the past few days, they were denied access to a phone, and that appeared to have had an impact,” Patel said.
A Call for Awareness
Speaking after the tragedy, Chetan Kumar expressed deep regret and urged other parents to be vigilant. “This should not happen to any parent or child,” he said. “If I had known about the game, I would never have allowed them to play it.”
Authorities continue to investigate the circumstances while emphasizing the importance of mental health awareness, digital safety, and open communication between parents and children—particularly as online platforms and gaming become more embedded in daily life.
The deaths of Nishika, Prachi, and Pakhi have left a community in mourning and renewed conversations around youth wellbeing, screen time, and parental guidance in the digital age.