Ghaziabad Triple Suicide

No mention of mother in 8-page death note; As the investigation into the Ghaziabad triple suicide continues, many questions remain unanswered.GHAZIABAD: Behind the closed doors of a ninth-floor flat in Ghaziabad, a complicated family life was quietly unravelling. When three sisters leapt to their deaths of each other, what lay hidden inside the home could no longer remain unseen.

The stillness of early morning at Bharat City society in Sahibabad was broken by screams and confusion as residents rushed towards a building where three bodies lay below a ninth-floor apartment. Police confirmed what neighbours feared — three minor sisters had jumped to their deaths, one after the other.

Image Credit: TOI

Investigations quickly turned inward, focusing on the family life inside the flat. Police said the sisters were half-siblings, living with their father, Chetan Kumar, his three wives and other family members.According to news agency PTI, Kumar currently has three wives — Sujata, Heena and Tina — who are biological sisters. Sujata is the mother of Nishika, Heena is the mother of Prachi and Pakhi, and Tina is the mother of Devu, aged four. All lived together in the same flat.Police also confirmed that in 2015, Kumar’s live-in partner died after falling from the roof of a flat in Rajendra Nagar Colony in the Sahibabad police station area. The case was later dismissed as a suicide, DCP (Trans Hindon) Nimish Patil told PTI.It has also emerged that Kumar, a stockbroker, was under significant financial debt.

The much-discussed ‘Korean angle’

Chetan Kumar told reporters that his daughters were deeply immersed in Korean content.“They listened to Korean music, watched Korean films, dramas, web series and cartoons. They also wanted to go to Korea,” he said. “All three wanted us to accept Korean culture, but when we refused, their behaviour changed. They went into a shell and lived in their own world.”Advocate Kumar Onkareshwar, a neighbour who called the police helpline 112 after the incident, said he had briefly interacted with one of the girls months earlier.“I live on the fourth floor. I have no connection with the family and personally did not know the child,” he said. “About four or five months ago, I met her in the lift. I asked where she lived, and she said they were from Korea. I was surprised, but she repeated it. Later, I mentioned this to my wife and said the child’s Hindi pronunciation, dressing sense and confidence were very impressive compared to other children.”In his first statement after the incident, Kumar said, “They told me, ‘Papa, we cannot leave Korean. Korean is our life. Korean is everything to us. You cannot separate us from it. We will give up our lives.’ I have just seen the suicide note. This is very tragic. I appeal to all parents to be careful and ensure children do not get so deeply attached to games.”

On Sunday, he told news agency PTI, “I used to pamper my children a lot… They would watch Korean dramas, Korean games, and Korean reels. Their eyes were swollen, which is why I snatched away their phones. They were angry about it. Is taking your child’s phone away a sin?”However, when asked about his three wives and a deceased live-in partner, he said, “I don’t want to talk about it.”

‘No mention of mother in suicide note’

During the initial probe, police found that the room in which the sisters had been staying was locked from inside. No signs of forced entry were found, officers said.An eight-page diary was recovered from the room and is being examined as part of the investigation.Police noted that the diary made no mention of the girls’ mother or mothers. None of the sisters made any direct statement explaining their decision, police said, adding that given the tragedy, the absence of such an explanation was understandable.Investigators said the girls appeared to be more attached to their father than to their mothers. This, police believe, is why the suicide note was addressed to their father and did not mention their mother’s name. News agency PTI reported that all three sisters had addressed their father in the note.

Digging deeper into the sisters’ diary

A one-page handwritten note addressed to their father was also recovered. It contained an apology — “Sorry Papa” — and urged him to read their diary, with the words “READ NOW” written in capital letters.According to police, the diary reveals a deep attachment to Korean popular culture, including K-pop music, television dramas and BL (boy love) content. The girls wrote that Korea had become central to their lives and expressed anger towards their father for opposing their interests.

A note from diary

“How did you even dare to take this from us?” reads one line in the diary.Investigators believe this may refer to an incident around 15 days earlier, when Kumar allegedly took away the elder daughter’s mobile phone and sold it.

‘Irresponsible parenting’

As the case grabbed national attention, parents shared their views on what has been referred to as the ‘Korean angle’.Speaking to TOI, a mother of two said, “This is irresponsible parenting. They did not let their daughters go to school after Covid-19 and gave them smartphones, on which they downloaded games.”“How can you not send your children to school for four to five years?” she asked.Another parent said conclusions should not be drawn prematurely. “The investigation is still ongoing,” she said. “But from reports, it appears the eldest daughter, who was 16, was studying in Class 4 and had been given a smartphone. I believe the smartphone was the only thing they had.”She added, “They also had a very complex family structure. Let the police complete the probe — then there will be more clarity.”Women’s panel chief on parenting and behavioural signsBabita Singh Chauhan, chairperson of the Uttar Pradesh State Women’s Commission, emphasised the need for parental involvement and communication after the triple suicide. She said it was important for parents to “spend time with their children, talk to them, and monitor their online activities,” warning that many online games and social platforms give children tasks that could gradually “affect their minds.”

No school after Covid-19

Police confirmed that the girls had not attended school since the Covid-19 pandemic and were not being homeschooled. They also did not play with other children in the housing society.Writings found on the wall of their room pointed to a sense of isolation. Phrases such as “I am very, very alone”, “My life is very very alone” and “Make me a heart of broken” were scribbled on the walls.The sisters appeared to have withdrawn from social life and spent nearly all their time together. In their diary, they referred to each other by names borrowed from television shows — Maria, Aliza and Cindy — and appeared to see themselves as living in a separate world.The diary lists 19 things the girls said their parents disapproved of, including Korean dramas and music, as well as Chinese, Japanese, Thai, American and British entertainment.

‘Death would be better than beatings’: Who are the sisters referring to?

“Did we live in this world to get beaten by you?” one line reads. “Death would be better for us than beatings.” The diary also refers to tensions involving a younger sibling, a four-year-old girl referred to as “Devu”.The sisters wrote that they wanted to introduce Devu to their interests, but their parents objected and instead encouraged her to watch Bollywood films. This, they said, caused further distress.“You made her Bollywood, which we hated more than life itself,” the diary reads. There are also references to physical punishment, though it is unclear who the girls were referring to.Another passage mentions marriage, without detail. “The mention of marriage caused tension in our hearts,” the diary states.

Many questions remain unanswered

As the investigation into the Ghaziabad triple suicide continues, many questions remain unanswered.(1) What role, if any, did family dynamics inside the flat play?How did the complex household structure — involving three wives and multiple children — affect the sisters’ emotional state?(2) Who were the sisters referring to when they wrote about “beatings”?The diary mentions physical punishment, but does not clearly identify who allegedly inflicted it.(3) What led to the intense emotional attachment to Korean culture?Was it escapism, identity formation, or a response to stress at home.As the investigation progresses, authorities hope to piece together the unanswered questions.