Father shoots dead daughter over elopement

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By Sumesh Rajan | January 14, 2026

Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, INDIA: In a suspected case of honour killing, a 21-year-old woman was allegedly shot dead by her father in Khiriya Thapak village of Bhind district in Madhya Pradesh.

The victim, identified as Nidhi Dhanuk, was allegedly killed by her father, Munnesh Dhanuk, who has been arrested. Mehgaon Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Sanjay Kocha confirmed the arrest and said the body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

“A man has shot and killed his married daughter. The accused is in custody, and investigations are underway to ascertain the exact motive,” Kocha said.

According to police, the incident occurred on Tuesday January 13 evening when Munnesh allegedly asked Nidhi to accompany him to a mustard field, where he shot her using a country-made pistol, locally known as a katta. Her body was recovered the following morning after her mother, Pooja Dhanuk, alerted the police.

Preliminary investigations suggest the murder may have taken place between 12 pm and 2 pm on Tuesday. After committing the crime, the accused reportedly did not attempt to flee.

Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) for murder and are also probing how the accused procured the illegal firearm.

Nidhi had been married to Devu Dhanuk, a resident of Gudagudi Ka Naka in Gwalior, on December 11, 2025. However, just 17 days later, on December 28, she eloped with a young man from her native village, who was reportedly a relative.

According to police, the elopement occurred after Nidhi went shopping at Maharaj Bada in Gwalior, where she spent around Rs 5,000. She allegedly disappeared while her husband had gone to fetch water. Subsequently, Nidhi appeared at the Gwalior Kotwali police station, where she stated that she was an adult and had left home willingly to marry her partner.

Investigators said Munnesh felt disgraced by his daughter’s actions and believed the family’s honour had been tarnished. In his statement to the police, he reportedly confessed to the crime, saying, “There was dishonour, so I killed her.”

Villagers echoed this sentiment, stating that the killing was driven by fear of social stigma and community backlash in the conservative rural setting, where inter-family relationships and elopements are often considered taboo.

Police said further investigation is underway.