PANIPAT, HARYANA—A day of wedding celebration in a Haryana village turned into a macabre crime scene after a woman, described by police as being driven by jealousy akin to the “Evil Queen” fairy tale character, was arrested for the systematic murder of four young children, including her own son and her niece.
The accused woman, identified as Poonam (Vidhi’s paternal aunt), has confessed to the police that her motive was chilling: she “did not want anyone to look more beautiful than her.” This resentment led her to target young, “pretty girls.”
The Latest Crime: A Wedding Turns Fatal
The investigation unfolded after the recent disappearance and death of Poonam’s six-year-old niece, Vidhi, during a family wedding in Naultha village in Panipat’s Israna area.
How the Murder Took Place:
- Vidhi, who lived in Sonipat, was attending the relative’s wedding with her family (including her father Sandeep and grandmother Omwati).
- The incident occurred on Monday afternoon after the wedding procession departed around 1:30 PM.
- Vidhi’s father received a call that the child was missing, triggering a frantic search.
- About an hour later, her grandmother, Omwati, discovered a storeroom on the first floor that was bolted from the outside.
- Upon opening the door, she found Vidhi unconscious, with her head submerged in a water tub and her feet still touching the ground.
- Vidhi was rushed to NC Medical College but was declared dead.
Vidhi’s father immediately filed an FIR, alleging murder, which led police to detain Poonam.
Pattern of Premeditated Killings Since 2023
During rigorous interrogation regarding her niece’s death, Poonam made the shocking confession that Vidhi was her fourth victim. Police confirmed that Poonam had a disturbing and consistent pattern of drowning children, all driven by the same jealousy and resentment.
In total, Poonam confessed to killing four children—three girls and her biological son—all by drowning under similar, calculated circumstances.
- 2023 Murders (Victim 1 & 2): Poonam first murdered her sister-in-law’s daughter. Shortly thereafter, she drowned her own son, reportedly to divert suspicion from her growing pattern of targeting young children.
- August 2025 Murder (Victim 3): Poonam murdered another girl in Siwah village this past August, explicitly stating the reason was that the child looked ‘prettier’ than her.
Until Poonam’s confession in the Vidhi case, the deaths of these three children had tragically been presumed to be accidental.
Authorities are now conducting a thorough investigation to map the full timeline and exact motive behind these gruesome, premeditated murders, which have sent shockwaves across the region. Poonam remains in judicial custody.
