In a shocking case from Haryana’s Panipat, a woman has been arrested after she allegedly killed her six-year-old niece, Vidhi, by drowning her because she looked beautiful than her. Upon investigation, police said the woman, identified as Poonam, allegedly confessed that she killed three other kids, which included her son
A disturbing case from
Haryana’s Panipat has come to light after police arrested a woman on Wednesday for allegedly killing her six-year-old niece, Vidhi. What began as a single murder investigation quickly unravelled into something far more unsettling, with officers now claiming that the “wicked aunt” was involved in the deaths of three other children, including her own son.
During questioning, the woman, identified as Poonam, allegedly confessed that she killed the two girls because she didn’t want anyone to appear “more beautiful than her”, News18 Haryana report citing Police said.
Here’s a closer look at the horrific crime and what investigators have uncovered so far.
The shocking murder
Vidhi, a six-year-old from Sonipat, had travelled with her family to Naultha village in Panipat’s Israna area to attend a relative’s wedding. She was accompanied by her grandfather Pal Singh, grandmother Omwati, father Sandeep, her mother, and her 10-month-old baby brother, NDTV reported.
The family joined the wedding procession on Monday afternoon, leaving the house for the celebrations.
During this time, Poonam allegedly noticed Vidhi heading up the stairs towards the terrace. She followed her, struck up a casual conversation, and walked with her to the rooftop. After gaining the child’s trust, police say Poonam asked Vidhi to step into a plastic tub filled with water kept in the storeroom.
Once Vidhi stepped in, Poonam allegedly pushed her head and neck under the water, drowning her. She then bolted the storeroom door from the outside and quietly went back downstairs.
A short while later, Vidhi’s father, who was with the procession, received a call saying the child was missing. The family began searching frantically.
Nearly an hour later, Vidhi’s grandmother, went to check the storeroom of the relative’s house. The door was latched from the outside. When she opened it, she found Vidhi inside, her head submerged in the tub, her feet still touching the ground.
The family rushed her to NC Medical College, but doctors declared her dead. Her grandfather, Pal Singh, later filed an FIR, alleging that Vidhi had been murdered.
During the investigation led by Superintendent of Police Bhupendra Singh (IPS), Panipat Police narrowed down their suspicions and eventually traced the crime back to Poonam, Vidhi’s paternal aunt.
VIDEO | Haryana Police have arrested a woman accused of killing four children over the past two years, including her own six-year-old son and niece. Panipat SP Bhupinder Singh says, “We received information that a six-year-old girl named Vidhi from Naultha village had drowned in… pic.twitter.com/hMFApnXr0c
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 3, 2025
How Poonam killed three other kids
According to NDTV, Poonam’s violent pattern began long before Vidhi’s death. In 2023, she allegedly drowned her sister-in-law’s nine-year-old daughter by pushing her into a water tank.
Investigators say that after killing her, Poonam feared her in-laws might suspect her. To divert attention, she drowned her own three-year-old son, making his death look like a tragic accident.
Police told the outlet that in August this year, she murdered yet another child, her cousin brother’s six-year-old daughter, Jia, in Siwah village, because the girl looked “prettier” than her.
Calling her a “psycho killer”, police said Poonam had a disturbing tendency to target young girls in her own family. The motive, they explained, came from jealousy and resentment, and she allegedly “did not want anyone to look “more beautiful than her.”
Upon questioning, Poonam confessed to killing four children and the tragic case was solved in 36 hours.
With input from agencies
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