Shaken, Kol parents’ WA groups discuss Ghaziabad triple suicide
Times of India | 6 February 2026
Kolkata: The alleged suicide of three sisters in Ghaziabad, all of them minors, has shaken parents in Kolkata — not because the circumstances mirrored their own homes exactly, but because the warning signs felt disturbingly familiar. While police described the girls' family environment as deeply dysfunctional and atypical to many Kolkata households, many parents in the city said the tragedy has forced them to confront uncomfortable similarities around screen dependence, emotional withdrawal, and unchecked online exposure among kids.
"Since Wednesday, it is the only thing being discussed over the parents' WhatsApp groups. It's depressing but alarming at the same time. All parents struggle to keep children away from phones. That is the reason this incident has hit us all alike," said Sonia Mazumdar, mother of a class-8 girl.
The sisters, aged 16, 14, and 12, allegedly jumped to their death from the ninth-floor balcony of their apartment in Ghaziabad on Wednesday. Cops said the girls had been socially isolated for years and had stopped attending school during the Covid pandemic. Investigators are examining multiple angles, including their intense fascination with Korean culture and the possible influence of a Korean "love game", an online interactive challenge like the ‘Blue Whale' and ‘Momo' challenges.
In a note, the girls wrote they did not "like" their half-brother or relatives, adding that "no one understood their interests". They shared a single cellphone to watch content and depended on television for K-dramas. Financial stress reportedly worsened tensions after their father sold the phone for Rs 3,500 and asked them to delete a social media account with nearly 2,000 followers. Police, however, stressed that there is no conclusive link yet between the sisters' deaths and the game.
Aparna Saha, mother to a 13-year-old girl, said the incident was frightening but also sobering. "It is scary at times to think about such incidents, but at the back of our minds, we all know that we, as parents, are responsible when children of such tender age take such decisions," she said. "Children get carried away easily owing to the information exploding on the internet. We need to be watchful of their actions, especially online involvement."
Suman Chattopadhyay, father of a 16-year-old girl, said parental anxiety has become a constant companion. "This was never an issue 10 years ago. But now, mental well-being of kids has become such an issue that we are always anxious. My wife and I are in corporate jobs. For how long will we be able to keep them away from phones?"
Several parents admitted that while the Ghaziabad family's dysfunction was extreme, the core issues — unsupervised screen time, emotional isolation, and dependence on virtual validation — cut across class and geography. "Children emulate their parents. The incident made me rethink my own late-night phone usage. I am now spending less time on my phone at home and have started reading to ensure my daughter emulates me. I have stopped her access to the phone to play games and watch videos," said Puja Sengupta, mother of a class-3 student.
Other parents said they are actively monitoring online content and considering seeking counselling at early signs of withdrawal. "We had no access to phones in our childhood, so, it will be unfair to compare our children's habits with ours. But what is needed is some sort of monitoring. I allow my son access to my cellphone for only 30 minutes a day. There were initial withdrawal symptoms, but we consulted a counsellor who advised us to go slow and understand his needs rather than confront and pressurise him," said Anubrati Mukherjee, mother of a class-7 student.