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Indian police investigate suspected suicide of three young sisters
Local media reported the sisters, aged 12, 14, and 16, had jumped from their home in Ghaziabad, on the outskirts of New Delhi, on Wednesday.
Police said an investigation was underway based on a suicide note and the sisters’ phones. Senior police official Nimish Patil told AFP that the family appeared to be under financial distress, with the father having recently taken away devices and barred them from watching Korean dramas and playing online games.
Local media stated the girls had previously been heavily influenced by K-pop music, games, and movies on the internet, which they were later denied access to. Experts and regulators have expressed concern in recent years that excessive screen time and addictive algorithms may be harming child development, leading authorities, including in India, to consider social media bans for children and teens.
The sisters’ father’s decision to limit their exposure to Korean culture has sparked debate in India, with intense media coverage highlighting concerns about young people’s increasing online engagement deepening mental health vulnerabilities. In response, two Indian states are preparing the ground for banning children from using social media, while French lawmakers have recently passed a bill that will restrict social media use by under-15s and prohibit mobile phones in high schools if confirmed by the Senate.