Ghaziabad sisters ran social media accounts under Korean names, built big following

Three sisters aged 12, 14 and 16 died after falling from the ninth floor of their apartment in Uttar Pradesh’s Ghaziabad on Wednesday morning.

Police said the incident occurred after their father allegedly confiscated their mobile phones, which the girls used extensively to watch Korean dramas and engage with online content.

The deceased have been identified as Nishika (16), Prachi (14) and Pakhi (12). According to police sources, the sisters were deeply influenced by Korean popular culture and had created a social media account that had gained a substantial following. On the platform, they used Korean-sounding names — Maria, Aliza and Cindy.

Around ten days before the incident, their father, Chetan Kumar, came to know about the account, deleted it and took away their phones. Police said the family was under severe financial stress, with debts amounting to nearly ₹2 crore. The father allegedly sold the mobile phones to clear an electricity bill and warned the girls that he would arrange their marriages, a remark that reportedly upset them.

Investigators said the sisters believed they could not marry Indians and claimed an emotional attachment to Korean culture, according to preliminary findings.

Initial reports had suggested the girls were influenced by a task-based online game linked to self-harm. However, police later clarified that while the sisters were influenced by Korean culture, it was not the sole factor behind the incident. Authorities said multiple stressors were involved, including financial hardship at home and prolonged absence from school.

Police revealed that the sisters had not attended school for the past two years due to the family’s financial condition.

Diary points to emotional distress

The girls left behind an eight-page handwritten note in a pocket diary. In the note, they apologised to their father and asked that everything written be read carefully. The diary detailed their emotional attachment to Korean shows, music and celebrities, and expressed distress over losing access to their mobile phones.

The note also mentioned their resentment over being stopped from consuming Korean content and their belief that Korean culture was central to their lives. Investigators said the diary indicates emotional vulnerability and conflict within the household.

Police have launched an investigation and said counselling and social factors are being examined as part of the probe.