“Sorry papa. I’m really sorry…”
These words were found in a diary recovered after three minor sisters died in Ghaziabad earlier this week.
The girls, aged 12, 14 and 16, died after jumping from the ninth floor of their residential building in the early hours of 4 February. Police said the case is under investigation and has been linked to excessive online gaming.
According to the police, the sisters spent most of their time on mobile phones and were following a Korean task-based online game. Officials said their daily routine revolved around completing in-game tasks and activities.
Police stated that the girls’ gaming activity had increased over the past few years, particularly after the COVID-19 period. During this time, school attendance reportedly declined and studies were disrupted. One of the sisters, aged 16, was still enrolled in a lower class.
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Family members were aware of the dependence, police said. Mobile phones were taken away on several occasions, but the girls managed to regain access. In the days leading up to the incident, phone use was restricted again.
During the investigation, police recovered an eight-page diary from the house and seized the mobile phones for forensic analysis. According to officials, the diary entries included task lists, routines, repeated apologies and drawings.
Police said the sisters had begun identifying with characters from the game. They reportedly used Korean names in the diary and wrote that they no longer identified as Indian.
On the morning of the incident, the sisters went into a room, locked it from inside, placed a chair near a window and jumped one after the other, police said. Neighbours and security guards heard the sound of the fall and alerted authorities.
The girls were taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared them dead. Post-mortems were ordered and the case remained under investigation at the time of publishing.
Online Gaming And Adolescent Behaviour
According to the World Health Organisation, nearly one in eight adolescents is at risk of developing problematic gaming habits.
Experts note that gaming often begins as a form of entertainment or relaxation. Over time, however, it can become difficult for some adolescents to regulate their gaming, particularly when it starts to interfere with sleep, academic performance, social relationships and mental health.
Modern video games are designed to keep players engaged through reward systems, levels and repeated stimulation, which activate the brain’s dopamine pathways. For developing minds, this pattern can be harder to disengage from.
The risk may increase when gaming is used as a way to cope with academic pressure, loneliness or emotional stress.
The Ghaziabad case has renewed discussion around children’s digital habits, parental supervision and how early signs of problematic gaming can be identified and addressed.
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