Jealous of their prettiness, Haryana woman drowns girls, including niece
What's the story
A woman in Haryana's Panipat has been arrested for allegedly drowning several children, including her own son. The accused reportedly committed the crimes out of jealousy toward girls she considered prettier than herself. The investigation was launched after the death of a six-year-old girl in Naultha village, which initially appeared accidental but later raised suspicions due to the circumstances surrounding the drowning.
Confession details
Suspect confesses to multiple drownings
Poonam is also said to have killed her sister-in-law's daughter in Bohad village of Sonipat in 2023 and later drowned her own son to avoid suspicion. The other murders took place at her maternal home and during a wedding in Naultha village, where she drowned her niece Vidhi. All deaths were similar, with children found drowned in shallow water, including a tub just one foot deep. The police believe these were deliberate acts to make the deaths look like accidents.
Investigation progress
Police suspect deliberate acts, suspect confesses
She was arrested on Wednesday for murdering her niece. According to NDTV, Poonam drowned her six-year-old niece in a water tub on Monday when the entire family had gathered for a wedding function in Sonipat. Her grandmother Omwati found her in a storeroom, with her head submerged in a water tub and feet on the ground. Her family had frantically searched for her after her father received a phone call informing him that she was missing.
Motive revealed
Woman's actions driven by jealousy, police reveal
The child was taken to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead. "The cruel aunt would eliminate girls she considered more beautiful than herself," a senior police official told India Today. After being caught, she confessed to killing four children, three of whom were related girls and one her own son. All these deaths were initially presumed accidental until her arrest.