Mummy, Papa, sorry: Three sisters jump to death after parents object to online gaming

The girls have been identified as Pakhi (12), Prachi (14) and Vishika (16). The incident took place around 2 am in Bharat City, a residential township in the Ghaziabad region.

According to reports, the sisters left a brief message for their parents that read: “Mummy, Papa, sorry.”

Police told The Tribune that the girls had reportedly developed an online gaming habit during the Covid-19 pandemic and were playing a task-based “Korean love game.” Their parents had recently grown concerned after the children stopped attending school regularly.

Sources cited by the newspaper said the parents had repeatedly counselled their daughters about limiting their gaming time and focusing on their studies. The incident reportedly followed an argument on Tuesday night over the issue.

Police officials reached the spot shortly after the incident and recovered the bodies, which were later sent for post-mortem examination. An investigation is currently underway.

Gaming trends and concerns

A 2024 World Health Organization (WHO) report found that 34 per cent of adolescents play digital games daily, with 22 per cent gaming for at least four hours on gaming days. While 68 per cent were classified as non-problematic gamers, 12 per cent were considered at risk of problematic gaming behaviour.

An earlier Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) study conducted across five countries found that problematic online gaming was associated with lower life satisfaction, more frequent psychological complaints and reduced peer support. However, researchers note that for many adolescents, gaming remains a harmless or even beneficial recreational activity.

Dr Claudia Marino of the University of Padova, one of the report’s authors, highlighted significant gender differences in gaming patterns.

“Boys not only show higher rates of daily gaming but are also more likely to develop problematic gaming habits. This highlights the need for targeted interventions that consider gender-specific motivations and risk factors in gaming behaviour,” she said.