Ghaziabad Tragedy: Three Sisters Die by Suicide, Online Gaming Addiction Under Probe

Shocking and tragic news has emerged from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. A 16-year-old girl and her two step-sisters, aged 14 and 12, allegedly committed suicide by jumping from the ninth floor of a high-rise building. Police say the three sisters were deeply addicted to an online Korean game and would spend hours playing on their mobile phones.

The entire incident at 12:30 AM: How the three died

According to police, the incident occurred around 12:30 AM on Wednesday night. At that time, the three girls were in the house with their mother. After some time, they went to the prayer room and locked the door from inside. They then used a chair to reach the window and jumped down one by one.

Hearing a loud noise below, security guards and locals rushed to the scene. Family members were also awakened by the noise. Police arrived at the scene immediately after receiving the information, and the bodies of the three were sent for postmortem.

A father, two mothers, and three daughters: Family situation

Police reported that the three girls lived with their father, a forex trader. The eldest daughter was from his first wife, while the two daughters, aged 14 and 12, were from his second wife. Despite this, the three sisters lived together and their daily routines were almost entirely identical.

Diary reveals: Girls began to consider themselves Korean, not Indian

During the investigation, police found a diary belonging to the girls, which revealed several important and shocking facts. In the diary, the girls wrote apologetic messages and drew crying figures. According to police, the girls began to believe they were Korean, not Indian, and began to see themselves as Korean princesses. This mental state was caused by their online game.

Addiction to online task-based games, they were completely disconnected from their studies

Assistant Police Commissioner Atul Kumar Singh stated that the three girls had become addicted to an online task-based game. They weren't paying any attention to their studies. Surprisingly, the 16-year-old girl was still in Class 4. According to the police, this situation worsened after the COVID-19 pandemic, when children's screen time increased rapidly. The family was aware of their mobile phone addiction, but the incident remained undeterred. Police stated that the family was aware of the girls' mobile gaming addiction. Their mobile phones were snatched from them several times, but they would somehow manage to get them back. The three sisters did everything together, even going to the bathroom together. Their entire routine had become similar, which reflects their mental state.

Mobile phones and games will be examined, forensic report awaited

Now, the police will conduct a digital forensic examination of the three girls' mobile phones and try to determine which games they were addicted to and what in them influenced them to such an extent. The full truth of this case will only be revealed after a postmortem examination and mobile data analysis.

A Major Question on Online Gaming and Children's Mental Health

This incident in Ghaziabad once again raises the question of the extent to which online gaming can affect children's mental health. Experts believe that excessive gaming can disconnect children from the real world and have a profound impact on their identity and thinking.

One Family's Tragedy, a Warning for Society

This case is not limited to the deaths of three girls. It is a serious warning regarding digital addiction, parental control, and children's mental health. Now it remains to be seen what further facts emerge from the investigation and whether any concrete lessons are learned from this incident.