Woman serial killer who murdered four kids, including her son, obsessed with their ‘beautiful appearance’ held: Haryana Police

The woman, apparently suffering from some mental disorder, first killed a niece and her son in Bhavad village of Sonipat in 2023, investigators said.

“When she killed her niece (brother-in-law’s daughter), she found her son witnessing the gory act. She killed him, too. When both children were found drowned in a water tank, she passed it off by saying the children were playing together and drowned accidentally. In August, she killed another child in Sivah village in a similar manner. Poonam is a native of Sivah village and married to Naveen in Sonipat’s Bhavad village. All three murders did not raise any suspicion as nobody suspected any foul play,” the investigators said.

Panipat Superintendent of Police Bhupender Singh said the investigation began after the body of a six-year-old girl (Poonam’s niece) was found drowned in a water tub at a wedding venue in Naultha village on December 1.

“The room where the child was found dead had been bolted from the outside. The girl’s grandfather Pal Singh, a retired Sub-Inspector, was the first to raise suspicion. He claimed that the child had been drowned intentionally. His suspicion led to the initiation of an investigation, which ultimately uncovered Poonam’s involvement,” the SP said.

Pal Singh told the police that he and his family members, including the murdered child, had gone to their relative’s wedding in Naultha village, also attended by Poonam and her husband Naveen.

At the wedding, they realised the child was missing and started searching for her, only to find her body floating in a water tank on the first floor of the premises of the wedding ceremony.

Pal Singh said the child’s body was found half-submerged in water, raising suspicion that somebody had killed her.

Police said Pal Singh lodged a complaint, and eventually Poonam was apprehended. During her questioning, she confessed to having committed other murders, too, police said.

“After her arrest, police revisited earlier murders of children and found all three children, including her son, were killed similarly,” the officer said.