Madhya Pradesh Teen Suspected Victim of Honour Killing, Body Dumped in River

A suspected honour killing has shocked Morena district, Madhya Pradesh, after 17-year-old Divya Sikarwar was allegedly shot dead inside her home and her body dumped in the Kunwari River. The teenager, a Class 12 student, went missing on Saturday before the grim discovery.

Teen killed over caste dispute

Police investigations suggest that Divya’s father, Bharat Sikarwar, allegedly wrapped her body in plastic, tied it to a stone, and disposed of it 30 km away from their home. Divya belonged to an upper-caste Kshatriya family and reportedly had a friendship with a young man from a backward caste, which police believe may have provoked the family.

The parents gave contradictory statements, first claiming accidental death by electrocution and later suggesting suicide. However, forensic experts suspect a point-blank gunshot to the head. Adding to the case, Divya’s younger brother and sister, both minors, have been missing since the night of the incident, raising further suspicion.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Surendra Pal Singh Dabar said, “Divya's body has been recovered from the Kunwari River and sent for post-mortem. Only after the forensic report will we be able to confirm the cause of death.”

According to the family, Divya handled household finances and had access to a pistol registered under her uncle’s name. Police are investigating whether this weapon was used in the killing. Bharat Sikarwar told the media, “I found her injured and rushed her to the hospital, but she died on the way. I was afraid and fainted, so I cremated her in the river.”

This tragic incident is not isolated in the Chambal-Gwalior belt. In June 2025, an elderly man in Morena allegedly shot his granddaughter for inter-caste love. In January 2025, 20-year-old Tanu Gurjar was killed by her father and cousin in Gwalior days before her wedding. In June 2023, a young woman and her partner were similarly killed, with their bodies dumped in the Chambal River.