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Gurugram mom strangles three-year-old girl to death in a fit of rage; arrested

Pooja in her statement to the police said she had no intention of killing her daughter and was only trying to scold the child after grabbing her by the neck. But the child died and once she realised what had happened, the guilt drove her to slit her wrist

Published on: Nov 16, 2021, 00:30:23 IST
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A three-year-old girl was strangled to death on Sunday allegedly by her mother who later tried to end her life by slitting her wrist in Sector 10, police said on Monday, adding that the woman allegedly lost her temper over the child’s continuous cries and killed her.

Police said they registered a case of murder against the woman, Pooja Rani, on the complaint of her husband Pradeep Singh. Pooja was arrested after being discharged from the hospital where she was admitted for wrist wounds. (Representational image)
Police said they registered a case of murder against the woman, Pooja Rani, on the complaint of her husband Pradeep Singh. Pooja was arrested after being discharged from the hospital where she was admitted for wrist wounds. (Representational image)

Police said they registered a case of murder against the woman, Pooja Rani, on the complaint of her husband Pradeep Singh. Pooja was arrested after being discharged from the hospital where she was admitted for wrist wounds. “Initial investigation has revealed that the woman was short-tempered and often got angry over trivial things. The child, Kanishka, was crying continuously and did not stop despite her mother’s best efforts to calm her down. In a fit of rage, Pooja allegedly strangled the child to death,” said Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police, Gurugram.

Pooja in her statement to the police said she had no intention of killing her daughter and was only trying to scold the child after grabbing her by the neck. But the child died and once she realised what had happened, the guilt drove her to slit her wrist, said police, quoting Pooja’s statement.

Sangwan said the husband is employed with a leading automobile company in the city and was at work at the time of the incident. “Singh left for work around 1.45pm Sunday, leaving Pooja and Kanishka at home. Around midnight, he returned home to find the house locked from inside. When his repeated knocks went unanswered, he banged on the door multiple times till it finally broke open,” Sangwan said.

“He went inside and found his wife lying on the floor in a pool of blood. She was bleeding from her wrist wounds, but was breathing. Singh then saw his daughter on the bed, lifeless,” Sangwan said, quoting Singh’s statement to the police.

Singh told the police that he was in a state of panic when he called the police control room and one of his relatives who live in the same locality.

“We took Pooja and Kanishka to a government hospital in Sector 10 where the doctor declared Kanishka brought dead while Pooja was admitted for treatment,” said Singh.

A doctor, requesting anonymity, said the woman had a sharp cut with a kitchen knife to her wrists. “The cut was not deep enough to be fatal. She is stable and fit now,” the doctor said.

Based on Singh’s complaint, a case was registered against Pooja under Section 302 (murder) of the Indian Penal Code at the Sector 10 police station on Sunday. Sangwan said a probe is still underway.

  • Leena Dhankhar
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Leena Dhankhar

    Leena Dhankhar is Senior Editor and Bureau Chief, Gurugram, at Hindustan Times, where she has spent over 17 years chronicling the transformation of one of India's fastest-growing urban regions. From starting her career as a crime reporter to leading the Gurugram bureau, her journalism has been defined by investigative reporting, in-depth storytelling and an unwavering focus on public interest. Over nearly two decades, she has reported extensively across crime, politics, civic governance, elections, real estate, environment, courts, sports, education and entertainment, covering Gurugram, Faridabad, Nuh and Palwal. Her reporting has exposed several major scams and systemic failures, including insurance frauds, waste management irregularities, illegal arms manufacturing units in Nuh, illegal mining in the Aravallis, organised crime networks and governance lapses affecting millions of residents. Known for her investigative work and exclusive stories, Leena has reported on high-impact national issues, including the Nicaragua charter flight carrying Indian migrants that was turned back amid allegations of human trafficking, exposing the growing network of illegal immigration rackets. Her work has also focused on gang wars, prison administration, juvenile crime, women and child protection systems, the functioning of the Juvenile Justice Board and Child Welfare Committee, and environmental challenges such as pollution, waterlogging and deteriorating civic infrastructure. Beyond hard news, Leena has extensively documented Haryana's rich heritage, forests and wildlife, bringing attention to the state's historical landmarks, biodiversity, conservation efforts and ecological challenges through immersive reportage and feature writing. Her journalism has consistently gone beyond breaking news. She has documented Gurugram's rapid urbanisation through long-form narratives and enterprise reporting on issues ranging from pothole-ridden roads, flooding and waste management to the changing social fabric of India's Millennium City. She also writes widely read feature columns, including The Outsider, Changemaker, and Concern for Gurugram, profiling people, places and ideas shaping the city's identity. Leena is the author of Gurugram School Murder, published by Juggernaut Books, a deeply reported account of one of India's most high-profile school murder investigations. She is currently working on her second book, an investigative work exploring some of India's most significant scams and fraud investigations. Beyond print journalism, she has expanded her storytelling through public speaking and digital media. She is a TEDx speaker and has produced podcasts exploring Gurugram's transformation, civic challenges and untold stories. Her work reflects a commitment to narrative journalism that combines rigorous reporting with compelling storytelling. A law graduate with an MBA in Human Resources, Leena brings a multidisciplinary perspective to her reporting, particularly on governance, public policy and legal affairs. She has travelled extensively across India to pursue investigative assignments, often reporting from remote locations and conflict-prone areas in search of stories that matter.Read More