Godda child murder: 3-year-old strangled, body dumped in well; 2 held
Synopsis
A three-year-old girl went missing from her grandmother's village in Jharkhand's Godda district on a Thursday afternoon — by midnight, villagers had intercepted a man carrying her body in a sack near a well. Two accused are now in custody, but the motive remains unknown as police interrogations continue.
Key Takeaways
Nisha Soren , aged 3 , was allegedly strangled to death in Godda district, Jharkhand , on 15 May 2025 .
Her body was allegedly stuffed in a sack and thrown into a well in Makundi Santhali Tola .
Villagers intercepted accused Prem Murmu near the well around midnight and recovered the body.
A second accused, Jarmen Soren , was named by Murmu and subsequently caught by villagers.
Both accused were admitted to Sadar Hospital after being assaulted by villagers before police arrived.
The motive behind the killing is yet to be established; a post-mortem examination has been ordered.
A three-year-old girl was allegedly strangled to death and her body thrown into a well in Godda district, Jharkhand, police confirmed on Friday, 15 May. Two accused have been arrested in connection with the killing of the child, identified as Nisha Soren, daughter of Ramesh Soren.
How the Crime Came to Light
Nisha had been staying at her maternal grandmother's house in Makundi Santhali Tola, under the Mufassil police station area, for a few days. She went missing on Thursday afternoon, prompting her family and neighbours to launch a search operation that continued late into the night without success.
Around midnight, some villagers spotted a man carrying a sack near a well. Suspecting foul play, they intercepted and questioned him. According to police, the man allegedly confessed that the sack contained the child's body. Villagers retrieved the body from the well.
Accused Identified and Arrested
The man intercepted near the well was identified as Prem Murmu, a resident of the neighbourhood. He allegedly disclosed the name of an accomplice, Jarmen Soren. Villagers caught both men and allegedly assaulted them before alerting the police.
Mufassil police station in-charge Anand Saha reached the scene with a police team. Both accused were rescued from the villagers and admitted to Sadar Hospital for treatment. They are currently under interrogation.
Investigation Under Way
The girl's body has been sent for post-mortem examination. According to Saha, the motive behind the murder has not yet been established. Police are interrogating both accused to determine the circumstances that led to the killing.
The incident has triggered panic among residents of the area. Nisha's native village is Ramla Santhali Tola, also within the same police station jurisdiction.
Point of View
Where institutional safeguards are often absent and community vigilante responses fill the vacuum left by delayed policing. The fact that villagers caught the accused, assaulted them, and only then informed the police raises legitimate questions about law enforcement reach in interior Jharkhand. That the motive remains unknown days after the arrest points to investigative gaps that need urgent closure — particularly given the child's age and the calculated manner in which the crime was allegedly concealed.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the victim in the Godda child murder case?
The victim was Nisha Soren , a three-year-old girl and daughter of Ramesh Soren. She had been staying at her maternal grandmother's house in Makundi Santhali Tola in Godda district, Jharkhand, at the time of the incident.
Who has been arrested in connection with the Godda child murder?
Two accused — Prem Murmu and Jarmen Soren — both residents of the neighbourhood, have been arrested. They were caught by villagers near the well and later handed over to police after being assaulted.
How was the crime discovered?
Villagers spotted Prem Murmu carrying a sack near a well around midnight during the search for the missing child. On being questioned, he allegedly confessed the sack contained the girl's body, which was then retrieved from the well.
What is the motive behind the killing?
The motive has not yet been established. Mufassil police station in-charge Anand Saha confirmed that both accused are under interrogation and investigations are ongoing.
What action has the police taken so far?
Police have arrested both accused, sent the child's body for post-mortem examination, and launched an interrogation to determine the motive. The two accused were also admitted to Sadar Hospital after villagers allegedly assaulted them before police arrived.
