Jealousy-Driven Serial Killer in Panipat: Woman Murders Four Children Including Own Son Over Beauty Envy

Police investigations confirmed that the perpetrator, Poonam, was the paternal aunt of victim Vidhi.

Panipat:

In a Haryana village, celebration turned to tragedy when a six-year-old girl vanished during wedding festivities. What began as joyous family gathering quickly descended into horror as police uncovered a series of murders reminiscent of a dark fairy tale, with jealousy as the driving motive.

Authorities announced Wednesday the arrest of a woman charged with murdering four children, including her own niece in Panipat. The shocking motive: she couldn't bear anyone appearing "more beautiful" than herself within the family.

The suspect, identified as Poonam, drowned her 6-year-old niece in a water container on Monday during a family wedding gathering in Sonipat.

Police revealed Poonam had previously killed three other children, including her own 3-year-old son in 2023, using the same drowning method she employed against her niece.

The victim, Vidhi, had traveled from Sonipat to Naultha village in Panipat's Israna area for a relative's wedding. She arrived with her extended family, including her grandfather Pal Singh, grandmother Omwati, parents, and infant brother.

The crime occurred when wedding guests gathered outside a relative's residence around 1:30 pm Monday. Poonam spotted Vidhi ascending stairs to the rooftop and followed her. After gaining the child's trust through conversation, Poonam led her to a plastic tub filled with water in a storeroom. Once Vidhi approached, Poonam forced the child's head underwater, drowning her before securing the door from outside and returning downstairs.

Shortly afterward, Vidhi's father received notification of his daughter's disappearance, prompting a family search. Approximately an hour later, grandmother Omwati discovered a locked storeroom. Upon opening it, she found Vidhi with her head submerged in water, feet touching the ground.

Despite being rushed to NC Medical College, doctors pronounced Vidhi deceased. Her grandfather subsequently filed a First Information Report alleging murder.

Police investigation identified the perpetrator as Poonam, Vidhi's paternal aunt.

According to investigators, Poonam exhibited a disturbing pattern of drowning relatives' children, motivated by intense jealousy. She specifically targeted young girls she perceived as attractive, unwilling to allow anyone to outshine her in appearance.

Poonam has confessed to four murders total—three nieces and her own son—all by drowning using similar methods.

In 2023, she drowned her sister-in-law's 9-year-old daughter, Ishika, in a water tank. Fearing detection, she subsequently murdered her own 3-year-old son, Shubham. This August, she claimed another victim—her cousin's 6-year-old daughter, Jia, in Siwah village—because she considered the child "prettier."

These deaths had previously been classified as accidents until Poonam's confession during questioning about Vidhi's murder.