Haryana woman held for 4 child murders is MA, BEd qualified, preferred to stay alone

A 32-year-old homemaker, Poonam, has been arrested by the Panipat police for allegedly killing four children over a period of nearly two years.

The accused, who holds a master’s degree in Political Science from Kurukshetra University and a B.Ed degree from Sonipat, was described by relatives as quiet, withdrawn and someone who preferred to stay alone most of the time.

According to Panipat Superintendent of Police Bhupendra Singh, the alleged incidents occurred at three different locations, her marital home, her maternal home and a relative’s house. In all cases, the deaths were initially believed to be accidents.

Police officials said the first two deaths took place in 2023 at her residence in Bhawad village. Among the victims were her nine-year-old niece and her own three-year-old son. At the time, the deaths were ruled as accidental, and no suspicion was raised.

The third incident allegedly occurred in August 2025 at her maternal home in Siwah village. The victim was her six-year-old cousin. Once again, the incident was viewed as an accident, and no formal complaint was lodged.

However, suspicion arose after the fourth incident on December 1, during a wedding function in Naultha village. A six-year-old girl, a relative of Poonam’s husband, went missing during the ceremony. Her body was later found in a locked storeroom. Family members noticed that Poonam’s clothes were wet, which raised concerns and led the police to question her.

During interrogation, Poonam allegedly confessed to being involved in all four deaths. Investigators have claimed that she felt insecure and jealous of attractive children, fearing they might grow up to be more beautiful than her. The police are continuing to probe her mental state and the circumstances that led to the alleged crimes.

Relatives said that Poonam was a loner. “She kept to herself and rarely spoke much. We never imagined such a thing,” a family member was quoted by The Indian Express as saying.