A 32-year-old woman from Haryana has been arrested for allegedly murdering three girls over the past two years and for killing her own three-year-old son to deflect suspicion. Police say she was driven by hatred and jealousy toward girls she considered beautiful.
The case came to light after Panipat police uncovered similarities between the deaths while investigating the latest incident on Monday. The most recent victim was 6-year-old Vidhi, who went missing during a wedding function in Naultha village. She was later found in a storeroom on the first floor of the house, lying face down in a plastic tub filled with water.
Police arrested the child’s aunt, Poonam, on Wednesday. Investigators allege that after guests had left, she lured the girl upstairs, drowned her and then locked the room from outside before returning downstairs.
A pattern of killings
During interrogation, Poonam allegedly admitted to three earlier murders. The victims, all related to her, were two 6-year-old girls and a 9-year-old girl. Their families had believed the deaths were accidental and had already performed the last rites.
Panipat Superintendent of Police Bhupender Singh said the woman told police she killed two children, including her own son, in Bhawar in two thousand twenty three, and another girl in Sewah in August this year. She has one surviving child.
Police said she drowned her sister in law’s 9-year-old daughter in a water tank at her home in Bhawar village in Sonipat. Fearing that the family might suspect her, she then killed her own son, Shubham. In August this year she allegedly drowned her cousin’s 6-year-old daughter in Sewah village.
Motive rooted in jealousy
When questioned about her motive, the SP said Poonam told investigators she felt hatred toward girls she considered beautiful, becoming jealous at the thought that they might grow up to be more attractive than her.
Police said she appears to show psychopathic tendencies and is not well educated. Officers ruled out any suggestion of child sacrifice in the case.
The relevant police stations have been informed about the earlier offences.
With inputs from Sunny Mallik
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