GHAZIABAD: As police intensify their investigation into the deaths of three sisters in Ghaziabad, their father, Chetan Kumar, has acknowledged being under financial stress but denied that it played any role in the alleged suicides.“I had a loan of Rs 30 lakh, but this was not the reason behind my three daughters’ death. They wanted to become Koreans, and I wanted to raise them as Indians… They made their own world of fantasy.”
Residents of Bharat City Society gathered in small groups within the premises, discussing the incident and the wider impact of online addiction on children.Also read: 2,000 followers, 1 deleted YouTube channel: How online fantasy and isolation shaped Ghaziabad sisters’ lives and deaths“It is very shocking. One can understand if someone takes such an extreme step owing to depression. But how could all three sisters do this together?” said Isha Tyagi, a resident of the society.Investigators said the girls’ father, Chetan Kumar, had married twice and had five children — four daughters and a son. Both wives are sisters, according to news agency PTI, and the entire family lived together.She said she had rarely seen the girls interacting with other children. According to her, they were never seen going to school or playing in the society park, and their isolation had gone largely unnoticed for years.Police said preliminary findings suggest the sisters were heavily influenced by Korean content, particularly a Korean game, and spent a substantial amount of time on their mobile phones.Deputy commissioner of police Nimish Patil said the girls’ schooling had been irregular and their academic performance below average. “But it is evident that the girls were highly addicted to mobile phone usage,” he said.Neighbours said the family had lived in the society for about three years but mostly kept to themselves.Rahul Kumar Jha, the joint secretary of the residential society, said he had occasionally seen the girls attending tuition classes but was unaware of their formal schooling.Also read: Inside the troubled Ghaziabad home: Two marriages, wives leaving, no schooling for kids, mounting debts and a family under strain “They spent most of their time confined to a single room. The children were never seen playing outside or interacting with others,” he said.According to their father, Nishika (16), Prachi (14) and Pakhi (12) developed an addiction to online gaming during the Covid-19 pandemic and had been playing almost continuously for the past two-and-a-half to three years.A forensic team examining the room found several sentences written on the walls. Some read: “make me a heart broken”, “I am very very alone” and “my life is very very alone”, police said.Jyoti Kasana, another resident, said children of that age were particularly vulnerable. “Children at this age are vulnerable. Even sudden actions like taking away a phone or tablet can deeply affect their mental state,” she said.Ajay Kasana, vice-president of the society, said the girls had not been attending school since the pandemic.Police also recovered a note believed to have been left by the sisters. It read: “Read everything written in this diary, it is all here ” and included a crying face emoji, followed by a handwritten message: “Sorry papa, I am really sorry.”Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and statements from residents are being recorded.
