17-Year-Old Shot Dead in Suspected Honor Killing Case in Madhya Pradesh: Body Dumped in River

Police investigations have revealed that the girl's father allegedly disposed of her body by dumping it into the river.

A suspected case of honor killing has emerged from Madhya Pradesh where a 17-year-old teenager was allegedly shot dead inside her home before her body was discarded in a river. The victim, identified as Divya Sikarwar, was reportedly killed by her own family members in Morena district.

The case came to light after Divya, a class 12 student, was reported missing on Saturday. During investigations, police discovered that her father, Bharat Sikarwar, allegedly wrapped her body in plastic, tied it to a stone, and threw it into the Kunwari river, approximately 30 km away from their residence.

According to sources, Divya belonged to an upper-caste Kshatriya family and maintained a friendship with a young man from a backward caste. Police suspect this relationship may have angered her family, raising strong suspicions of an honor killing motive.

When interrogated, the parents provided inconsistent explanations. They initially claimed she died from electrocution by a fan, later changing their story to suggest suicide. However, forensic experts who examined her partially decomposed remains strongly suspect a point-blank gunshot wound to the head.

In a disturbing development, Divya's younger siblings, both minors, have been missing since the night of the incident. Police believe this disappearance, combined with the parents' changing narratives and the disposal of the body, strengthens the murder case against the family.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Surendra Pal Singh Dabar stated, "Divya's body has been recovered from the Kunwari River and sent for post-mortem. Only after the forensic report will we be able to confirm the cause of death."

According to family accounts, Divya reportedly managed the household finances and had access to a pistol registered under her uncle's name, which was kept in her cupboard. Investigators are still determining whether this weapon was used in the killing.

Bharat Sikarwar, the father, told media: "I found her injured and rushed her to the hospital, but she died on the way. I was afraid and fainted, so I cremated her in the river."

This is not an isolated incident in the Chambal-Gwalior region. In June 2025, an elderly man in Morena allegedly shot his granddaughter, Malishkha, for being in love with a boy from another caste. In January 2025, 20-year-old Tanu Gurjar was killed by her father and cousin in Gwalior days before her wedding. Similarly, in June 2023, a young woman and her partner were killed by her father, with their bodies thrown into the Chambal River.