In Madhya Pradesh, man smothers SDM wife to death for not adding him as nominee in bank account, insurance

He allegedly suffocated her with a pillow and sat near the corpse for six hours before taking the body to the nearby community health centre.

Napit's sister, Nilima Napit, accused Sharma of murdering her and alleged that he used to torture her for money.

A sub-divisional magistrate from Madhya Pradesh’s Dindori district was allegedly smothered to death by her husband because she didn’t name him her nominee in her service book, insurance, and bank account, police said.

Sub-divisional magistrate (SDM) Nisha Napit (51) and Manish Sharma (45), who had met on a matrimonial site, got married in 2020. The couple’s marital life was fraught with tension, as Sharma regularly mounted pressure on his wife to give him money since he is reportedly unemployed now.

According to the police, Sharma allegedly suffocated her with a pillow on Sunday, sat near the corpse for six hours, and then took the body to a nearby community health centre, but doctors there alerted the police. Sharma had also washed her blood-stained clothes as well as the pillow in the washing machine.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Mukesh Shrivastava said that Napit was killed by her husband for not being added as a nominee.

“The local SDM was found dead under mysterious circumstances. The Dindori police have managed to crack the case within 24 hours. In 2020, the SDM got married to Gwalior-based resident Manish Sharma. Their married life was fraught with tension. Sharma used to harass her and wanted her to add his name as a nominee in her bank accounts and service books. She did not do it since she did not trust him. Under these circumstances, Sharma came to her residence and had an argument. Later, he killed Napit by suffocating her with a pillow,” Shrivastava said.

Napit’s sister, Nilima Napit, accused Sharma of murdering her, and said he used to torture her for money.

Nilima said, “We suspect that her husband killed her. After their marriage in 2020, he would not meet her regularly. He would visit her every now and then and abuse her mentally and physically. He was after her money. He was unemployed and wanted his name to be registered as a nominee in her service book. He used to keep asking her how much money she had, where was she depositing it, and claimed that he knew where her money was. We had tried to approach the local police with a complaint and were counselled to sort it out amongst ourselves.”

Story continues below this ad

When the police questioned Sharma about his wife’s death, he allegedly told them that his wife was suffering from a kidney ailment, and with such health issues she was fasting on Saturday. He told the police that Napit had vomited at night after which she was given medicines. He allegedly told the police that she did not wake up the next day after which he alerted the police.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram