Poonam, a woman from Haryana, was accused of murdering four children, including her own son. She tried to commit her first murder in 2021. Police stated that she killed three members of her family because she thought they were more beautiful than her. According to police, the first target was her two-year-old niece Vidhi, reported by NDTV. At the time, the child survived after Poonam allegedly poured boiling tea on her face. Vidhi’s father believed the attack was accidental and dismissed his doubts. However, on Monday, police claim Poonam drowned the six-year-old girl, who had been dressed for a family function. The body was later discovered by the grandmother, triggering further investigation into previous deaths.
Over the past four years, Poonam has been suspected of murdering three more children, including her four-year-old son. Police told NDTV that three of the victims were young girls, leading investigators to consider a psychological motive linked to jealousy or a "beauty complex." Officers believe Poonam felt threatened by the looks of the girls and killed them because they appeared “more beautiful” than her, reported NDTV. The motive behind her son’s death remains unclear. Investigators also suspect she killed him intentionally to divert suspicion after the earlier murders and make the pattern appear random rather than targeted.
Police believe the first victim was Ishika, her nine-year-old niece, reportedly killed in 2023. The second was her son, Shubham — allegedly murdered to mislead relatives and investigators. The third victim was eight-year-old Jia, who officers claim may have been killed for similar reasons tied to jealousy. The final victim was Vidhi, whose death led to Poonam’s arrest this week. Police told NDTV that after her arrest, Poonam confessed to the killings, although details of the earlier murders have not yet been fully disclosed.
During questioning, Poonam allegedly explained that she killed Vidhi inside a storeroom at a relative’s home, where the family had gathered for a wedding celebration. As per the confession quoted by NDTV, she gained the child’s trust, convinced her to step into a tub of water, and then held her head down until she stopped resisting. NDTV also interviewed Vidhi’s father, Sandeep, who expressed deep grief and anger. He said, “I always doubted her, but my family disagreed.” He demanded the death penalty, adding that Poonam should be punished so no other child becomes a victim.