Neighbours wonder how their seclusion went largely unnoticed

A day after three sisters jumped to their death from their ninth-floor home in the Sahibabad area here, residents of the residential complex were in shock, pondering how the girls’ prolonged seclusion had gone unnoticed.

Residents of the Bharat City Society were seen huddled in small groups within the premises on Thursday, discussing the tragedy and the effects of online addiction on impressionable young minds. “It is very shocking. One can understand if someone takes such an extreme step owing to depression. But how could all three sisters do this together?” wondered Isha Tyagi, a resident.

The woman said she had never seen the girls going to school or playing in the society park with other children. Their isolation had gone unnoticed for years, she remarked. Though details were sketchy, police said preliminary investigation revealed the girls were influenced by Korean content, especially a Korean game, and spent a significant amount of time on their mobile phones.

Deputy Commissioner of Police Nimish Patil said the girls’ education had been irregular and their academic performance was below par. “But it is evident that the girls were highly addicted to mobile phone usage,” he said.

Locals said the family had been living in the society for about three years but largely kept to themselves.

Rahul Kumar Jha, the joint secretary of the residential society, said he had occasionally seen the girls going for tuition but was unaware of their schooling. “They spent most of their time confined to a single room. The children were never seen playing outside or interacting with others,” he said.

A forensic team has found several sentences written on the walls of the girls’ room. Some of those read: “Make me heartbroken”, “I am very, very alone” and “My life is very, very alone”, police said.

Jyoti Kasana, a resident of the society, said, “Children at this age are vulnerable. Even sudden actions like taking away a phone or tablet can deeply affect their mental state.” Vice-president of the society, Ajay Kasana, told reporters that the children had not been attending school since the COVID-19 pandemic.