A middle-aged woman's jealousy toward girls she believed were more beautiful than her turned fatal. Among her victims were her niece and even her own son.

On Wednesday, authorities in Haryana's Panipat arrested the woman accused of killing four children by drowning them in water tubs or tanks.

The investigation began after the recent death of a six-year-old girl in Naultha village, which was initially presumed to be accidental, but later raised suspicions due to the circumstances of the drowning.

According to police, the woman targeted girls she perceived as more beautiful than herself. She is reported to have killed her sister-in-law’s daughter in Bohad village of Sonipat in 2023 and later drowned her own son to avoid attracting suspicion.

Subsequent murders occurred at her maternal home and most recently during a wedding in Naultha village, where her niece Vidhi was the victim.

Each of the deaths took place in a similar manner, with the children found drowned in shallow water. In one case, the tub used was only one foot deep, leading investigators to question the likelihood of accidental death given the child's height.

Police revealed that the "wicked aunt" would kill girls who were prettier than her. Officials said that after committing the crimes, the woman would celebrate.

"The cruel aunt would eliminate girls she considered more beautiful than herself," a senior police official told India Today.

The case was solved within 36 hours of the latest incident. Upon questioning, she confessed to killing four children, three of whom were girls related to her and one her own son.

Highlighting the deliberate nature of the acts, the police said that the suspect sought to escape detection by making the deaths appear accidental.

Source: India Today