A Father's Anguish
The distraught father of three young sisters in Ghaziabad has shared a deeply troubling narrative following their tragic deaths. He alleges that the minors,
aged 15, 14, and 11, had been engrossed in an online game for approximately two and a half years. This prolonged engagement led to increasing withdrawal from family interactions, with the sisters often sequestered in their rooms with their devices. He described a chilling dynamic where one player acted as an 'instructor,' dictating tasks to others. Forensic reports, as communicated to the family, indicated that the game's ultimate objective, according to their phones, was suicide. The father recounted his daughters' impassioned pleas to continue playing, stating, 'Papa, we cannot leave Korean. Korean is our life.' This profound attachment, coupled with the game's alleged final task, paints a grim picture of the influence these digital environments can wield over impressionable minds, serving as a stark warning to other parents about the importance of monitoring children's online activities and habits.
The Incident Unfolds
The devastating event occurred in the early hours of a Wednesday morning, around 1:45 am, within a residential building in Bharat City Society. The father recounted that he and his wife were asleep in separate rooms when the three sisters emerged, ostensibly to get water. Crucially, they were in possession of their phones at this time. According to the father's account, the girls then discarded their phones before jumping from the ninth floor. Police teams subsequently retrieved the devices for examination. This horrifying sequence of events underscores the suddenness and tragic finality of the act. The sisters had reportedly been absent from school for over two years, dedicating the majority of their time to their electronic devices, further isolating themselves from the outside world and potentially deepening their immersion in the online game's influence.
Police Investigation
Authorities confirmed receiving a distress call around 2:15 am concerning three minors who had fallen from the balcony of a ninth-floor apartment in the Bharat City complex, falling under the jurisdiction of the Tilamod police station in the Loni area. Upon arriving at the scene, initial responders found the girls critically injured on the ground floor. They were immediately transported via ambulance to a local hospital, where medical professionals regrettably pronounced all three deceased. Assistant Commissioner of Police Atul Kumar Singh confirmed these details to the media, emphasizing that the investigation into the circumstances leading to this tragedy is ongoing. While the exact catalyst remains under scrutiny, the prevalent theory involves the online task-based game the minors were reportedly playing. Further insights are anticipated once the electronic devices and other collected evidence have been thoroughly examined by law enforcement.
A Lingering Shadow
As the investigation into the Ghaziabad sisters' deaths progresses, a suicide note has been recovered from their residence, adding a somber layer to the unfolding tragedy. Notes found within the girls' room expressed feelings of profound loneliness and heartbreak, with phrases like 'I am very, very alone' and 'Make me, my heart is broken.' One sister, in particular, penned a note stating that everything documented in 'the diary' was truthful and expressed deep remorse to her father, stating, 'I’m really sorry, sorry papa.' These poignant messages offer a glimpse into the emotional turmoil the girls may have been experiencing. The father's earlier statement about their intense attachment to the game, emphasizing 'Korean is our life,' suggests a complex interplay of factors, including potential escapism and the dangerous allure of digital worlds, contributing to their desperate actions.
