Madhya Pradesh ‘honour killing’: Man kills daughter for eloping with relative

January 14, 2026

Madhya Pradesh: In a suspected case of honour killing, a 21-year-old woman named Nidhi Dhanuk was allegedly shot dead by her father, Munnesh Dhanuk, in Khiriya Thapak village in Madhya Pradesh’s Bhind district. Speaking to IANS, Mehgaon SDOP Sanjay Kocha confirmed the arrest of Munnesh 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 we are investigating to ascertain the exact motive,” the officer said. A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Samhita for murder, and police are also probing the source of the illegal firearm.

How the Crime Took Place

The incident occurred on Tuesday evening when Munnesh asked Nidhi to come to a mustard field and shot her with a country-made pistol, commonly known as a “katta.” Her body was recovered the following morning after her mother, Pooja Dhanuk, alerted the authorities.
“He might have committed the crime between 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesday,” police said, adding that the accused did not attempt to flee after the crime.

Elopement, ‘Dishonour’ Cited as Motive

According to police, Nidhi was married to Devu Dhanuk on December 11, 2025, but 17 days later she eloped with a young man from her village, reportedly a relative. She later appeared at Gwalior Kotwali police station, declaring she had left willingly.
Munnesh allegedly told police, “There was dishonour, so I killed her,” citing social stigma. Villagers echoed this, saying the murder stemmed from fears of family and societal backlash in a conservative rural setting.