Garhwa man arrested for strangling 17-year-old daughter over marriage refusal
Synopsis
A Jharkhand father allegedly strangled his 17-year-old daughter in her sleep after she refused the marriage he had arranged in Rajasthan, then locked the house and fled across state lines. He was caught 10 days later in a multi-state police operation — only after he reportedly tried to return to seek bail.
Key Takeaways
Nirmal Singh of Parti Kushwani village , Garhwa, Jharkhand , was arrested on 27 May for allegedly killing his 17-year-old daughter .
The victim, Aakriti Kumari , was allegedly strangled while she slept after refusing to marry a man in Rajasthan .
Her body was discovered on 19 May after neighbours reported a foul smell from the locked house.
The accused fled to Rajasthan after the crime and was intercepted in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh while reportedly returning to seek bail.
A special police team led by SDPO Satyendra Narayan Singh conducted the multi-state operation that led to the arrest.
A man from Garhwa district in Jharkhand has been arrested for allegedly strangling his 17-year-old daughter to death after she refused to go ahead with a marriage he had arranged, police confirmed on Thursday, 28 May. The accused, identified as Nirmal Singh, was apprehended 10 days after the victim's body was recovered from a locked house in Parti Kushwani village.
How the Crime Came to Light
On 19 May, police received information about a foul smell emanating from Nirmal Singh's house in Parti Kushwani village. Officers reached the spot and broke open the lock in the presence of the victim's brother, Avinash Kumar Singh. Inside a room, they found the body of the girl, identified as Aakriti Kumari.
A case was subsequently registered at Ketar police station on the basis of the brother's statement, and a formal investigation was launched.
Manhunt Across State Lines
On the instructions of the Superintendent of Police, a special team led by Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Satyendra Narayan Singh was formed to trace the accused. Technical evidence and intelligence inputs revealed that Nirmal Singh had fled to Rajasthan after the crime and was reportedly planning to return to Garhwa to seek bail.
On Wednesday, 27 May, police received a tip that he was travelling through the Kon area of Sonbhadra district in Uttar Pradesh towards Nagar Untari via Kharaundi. A trap was laid near Bajarmerwa, where the accused was intercepted and arrested after a brief chase when he attempted to flee upon spotting the police.
What the Accused Confessed
During interrogation, Nirmal Singh confessed to the crime, according to police. He told investigators that he had arranged Aakriti Kumari's marriage with a man in Rajasthan, where Singh himself worked. The girl, however, was unwilling to relocate and wished to remain in the village. Angered by her refusal, he allegedly strangled her while she was asleep, then locked the house and fled.
Key Details of the Case
SDPO Satyendra Narayan Singh revealed the full details of the case at a press briefing on Thursday. The arrest came after a coordinated effort involving technical surveillance and ground intelligence across multiple states. The case has drawn attention to the persistent threat of family violence linked to forced marriage arrangements in rural India.
Authorities have not yet indicated whether any other individuals are being investigated in connection with the case. Further legal proceedings are expected as the matter moves to court.
Point of View
Parental authority exercised through lethal violence, and the vulnerability of minor girls in rural India. The accused allegedly murdered his own daughter not in a moment of uncontrolled rage, but methodically: he waited until she was asleep, killed her, locked the house, and crossed state lines with a plan to return for bail. That calculated sequence makes this particularly chilling. It also raises a harder question: how many such cases go undetected because there is no sibling to file a complaint, no neighbour to notice a smell? The criminal justice system caught up here — but only just.
NationPress
6 Aug 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Nirmal Singh and what is he accused of?
Nirmal Singh is a resident of Parti Kushwani village in Garhwa district, Jharkhand, accused of strangling his 17-year-old daughter Aakriti Kumari to death. According to police, he killed her after she refused to go ahead with a marriage he had arranged with a man in Rajasthan.
When and how was Aakriti Kumari's body discovered?
Her body was found on 19 May after police received information about a foul smell from Nirmal Singh's locked house. Officers broke open the lock in the presence of her brother, Avinash Kumar Singh, and found her body inside a room.
How was Nirmal Singh caught?
A special police team tracked Singh using technical evidence and intelligence inputs after he fled to Rajasthan. He was arrested on 27 May near Bajarmerwa in Sonbhadra district, Uttar Pradesh, after a brief chase when he tried to escape upon spotting the police.
What did Nirmal Singh say during interrogation?
Singh confessed to the crime during interrogation, according to police. He stated that his daughter was unwilling to relocate to Rajasthan for the arranged marriage and wanted to stay in the village. He allegedly strangled her while she was asleep, then locked the house and fled.
Which police station is handling the case?
The case was registered at Ketar police station in Garhwa district on the basis of a statement by the victim's brother. The investigation was led by SDPO Satyendra Narayan Singh on the instructions of the Superintendent of Police.
