Investigation reveals complex factors behind heartbreaking incident, including financial stress, cultural obsession, and family isolation
In the early morning hours of February 4, 2026, a devastating tragedy unfolded in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, when three teenage sisters—Nishika (16), Prachi (14), and Pakhi (12)—fell to their deaths from the ninth-floor balcony of their Bharat City Society apartment. The incident has sent shockwaves through India and raised urgent questions about gaming addiction, cultural influences, and the pressures facing today’s youth.
A Tragedy Unfolds at 2 AM
Around 2:15 a.m. local time, residents of the high-rise complex were startled by loud sounds. What many initially thought were heavy objects hitting the ground turned out to be far more tragic. Police responded to emergency calls reporting that three girls had fallen from the ninth-floor apartment.
Assistant Commissioner of Police Atul Kumar Singh confirmed the identities of the victims as daughters of Chetan Kumar, a forex trader living in the building. All three sisters were declared dead at the scene after suffering fatal injuries from the fall.
Arun Singh, a neighbor who witnessed part of the tragedy, provided a chilling account to authorities. He reported seeing the eldest sister near the balcony edge while her two younger siblings appeared to be trying to pull her back to safety. The youngest girl clung to her sister’s waist while the middle sister held her hand. Moments later, all three fell together.
An Eight-Page Cry for Help
Following the incident, investigators discovered an eight-page handwritten note in a diary belonging to the girls. The emotional message began with the plea: “Read everything written in this diary because all of it is true,” accompanied by a crying face emoji. The note was addressed primarily to their father and included the heartbreaking words: “Sorry papa, I am really sorry.”
Deputy Commissioner of Police Nimish Patil stated that the preliminary investigation revealed the girls were deeply influenced by Korean culture, though no specific game has been conclusively identified as a direct cause. The note detailed the sisters’ intense attachment to Korean dramas, K-pop music, and online gaming—interests their parents had increasingly tried to restrict.
Korean Culture Obsession: Identity Crisis or Escape?
As investigators delved deeper, a more complex picture emerged. The three sisters had created a social media account using Korean names—Maria, Aliza, and Cindy—and had gained a substantial following before their father discovered it. According to police reports, Chetan Kumar deleted the account and confiscated their mobile phones approximately 10-15 days before the tragedy.
The girls’ immersion in Korean culture went far beyond casual interest. Their suicide note contained the striking statement: “Papa, we cannot leave Korean culture. It is our life, our everything. You cannot separate us from it.” They allegedly told their father they couldn’t marry Indians because they considered themselves Korean.
Clinical psychologist Vandana Prakash from Max Superspeciality Hospital explained that such intense online engagement can lead to isolation and identity confusion. Gaming addiction diverts individuals from school, work, and real-world social interaction, potentially contributing to mental health crises, particularly when that connection is suddenly severed.
A Household Under Strain
The investigation has revealed troubling details about the family’s living situation. Chetan Kumar lived with three wives—all biological sisters named Sujata, Heena, and Tina. The household included five children: Nishika was Sujata’s daughter, while Prachi and Pakhi were Heena’s daughters. The family also had a son with special needs and a younger daughter named Devu.
Police discovered that Kumar was under significant financial pressure, reportedly owing approximately 2 crore rupees (roughly $240,000 USD) in debt. He allegedly sold the girls’ confiscated phones to help pay an electricity bill. This financial stress may have compounded existing family tensions.
The suicide note indicated the girls felt a stronger emotional connection to their father than to their mothers, addressing him directly while largely ignoring their maternal figures. This dynamic has raised questions about family relationships and the emotional support systems available to the sisters.
Additionally, the note mentioned that they weren’t allowed to discuss their Korean interests with their younger sister Devu, suggesting further isolation within their own home. The sisters hadn’t attended school for the past two or three years, spending most of their time confined to their apartment—a situation that reportedly worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns.
Warnings Written on the Walls
Investigators examining the girls’ room discovered etchings on the walls pointing to depression and a desperate longing for connection. These markings, combined with the extensive diary entries, painted a picture of young people feeling increasingly trapped between their online world and their family’s expectations.
Forensic psychologist Deepti Puranik noted that adolescents often tie their identities closely to their gaming personas and online communities. When that connection is abruptly removed—especially without adequate emotional support or alternative outlets—the psychological impact can be devastating.
Historical Context: Not the First Tragedy
This isn’t the first time the Kumar family has been touched by tragedy. In 2015, Chetan Kumar’s live-in partner died after falling from a flat roof in Rajendra Nagar Colony, Sahibabad. While police initially treated the death as suspicious, they later closed the case, ruling it a suicide. DCP Nimish Patil confirmed this earlier incident during the current investigation.
The Gaming Addiction Angle
Initial reports suggested the girls were addicted to a task-based Korean game, with some media outlets drawing parallels to the notorious “Blue Whale Challenge” that emerged in 2017. That deadly online phenomenon, which originated in Russia, involved 50 escalating tasks culminating in suicide and was linked to over 130 deaths across multiple countries.
However, investigators have been careful to note that no specific game has been definitively identified in this case. While the father mentioned a “love game” involving Korean culture and a series of tasks, police examining the girls’ recovered mobile phone data have yet to confirm these details.
The investigation so far has not revealed evidence of a specific challenge-based game with suicide as a final task. Instead, authorities believe the girls were primarily engaged with Korean television dramas, K-pop content, and general online gaming—all of which became an all-consuming alternative reality.
Ongoing Investigation and Digital Forensics
Cyber crime units are currently working to trace the sold mobile phones using their IMEI numbers to recover data from Korean apps and social media accounts. Fingerprints from the suicide note and related messages have been sent to the forensic science laboratory for analysis, with results still pending.
The Ghaziabad police are treating the deaths as suicides while continuing to investigate all angles of the case, including verifying the father’s claims about gaming addiction and examining the broader family circumstances. The investigation spans multiple aspects, from digital forensics to interviews with neighbors and family members.
The sisters were cremated at Delhi’s Nigam Bodh Ghat on the evening of February 4, leaving behind a community struggling to understand how three young lives could end so tragically.
A Broader Warning
This heartbreaking incident has reignited concerns about screen addiction, the influence of online culture on impressionable minds, and the critical importance of mental health support for young people. Coincidentally, on the same day as the Ghaziabad tragedy, a 14-year-old boy in Bhopal allegedly died by suicide, with his family suspecting addiction to the mobile game “Free Fire.”
Mental health experts are emphasizing the need for open family communication about technology use rather than abrupt restrictions. Sudden removal of phones—particularly for adolescents who have formed their identities and social connections through digital spaces—can trigger severe emotional crises without proper support systems in place.
“This should not happen to any parent or child,” Chetan Kumar told reporters, his voice breaking with grief. “I was not aware of the depth of their involvement, or I would have approached this differently.”
As authorities continue piecing together the events that led to this tragedy, the case serves as a painful reminder of the complex challenges facing families navigating the digital age—where the line between online escape and real-world despair can become dangerously blurred.

If you or someone you know is experiencing emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, or a mental health crisis, please seek immediate professional help. In India, contact AASRA (24/7): 91-9820466726. In the United States, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. Support is available.