A Grave Secret: The Chilling Case of Tannu’s Disappearance and Murder in Faridabad

On April 25, 2025, an anxious man named Arun Kumar rushed into the Naveen Nagar police station in Faridabad, Haryana. Panic was evident in his voice as he reported his wife, Tannu, missing for over 24 hours. With no sign of her return, her phone switched off, and no clue to her whereabouts, Arun pleaded with the police to help find her. What started as a simple missing person’s case would soon unravel into one of the most shocking and disturbing murder investigations the city had ever witnessed.

The Initial Disappearance

Tannu’s sudden disappearance sent shockwaves through both her in-laws and her own family. Posters with her photograph were put up around the city, and the police filed a missing report. Her parents, especially her father Hakim Singh, were consumed with worry. They could not accept the narrative that Tannu had simply left home on her own, as Arun repeatedly told neighbors and relatives.

Despite Arun’s apparent concern—he visited the police station daily, pressuring officers for updates—the police response was disappointingly passive. Each time, they reassured him that they were searching and would inform him if any news surfaced, but their actions spoke otherwise. They treated the case as just another routine report, performing only the basic formalities and then letting the matter drop. Days turned into weeks, and the trail grew cold.

A Father’s Desperation

Tannu’s father, Hakim Singh, was haunted by nightmares of his daughter crying and begging him to bring her home. The family’s desperation grew as the police failed to make progress. Both sides of the family—her in-laws and her parents—searched tirelessly, but to no avail. Fifty days after Tannu went missing, there was still no sign of her.

On June 14, 2025, Hakim Singh, frustrated with the police’s negligence, took matters into his own hands. He approached Usha Devi, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Central, and pleaded for help. Upon hearing of the police’s inaction, DCP Usha Devi was furious. She immediately transferred the case from the local station to the Crime Branch, determined to get to the bottom of the mystery.

The Crime Branch Takes Over

Unlike their predecessors, the Crime Branch officers began a thorough investigation. They questioned both Tannu’s in-laws and her own family. It was during their visit to Arun’s house that something peculiar caught their attention—a freshly filled pit in front of the house. The pit looked as though it had been dug about a month and a half earlier.

When asked, Arun’s family explained that the pit had been dug for sewage purposes. They claimed that the area suffered from poor drainage, and similar pits could be seen outside other homes in the neighborhood. At first, the officers were reluctant to suspect anything sinister. However, the nervous demeanor of Arun’s family raised suspicions. The officers decided to question the laborers who had dug the pit. The workers revealed that while the pit was indeed dug for sewage, the work was abruptly stopped and the pit was hastily covered up.

Why was the pit left unfinished? Why was it covered so quickly? These questions gnawed at the investigators. When the police questioned Tannu’s family, they too expressed suspicion about the pit, urging the officers to dig it up.

Uncovering the Truth

Before proceeding, the police summoned Arun’s father, Bhup Singh, for questioning. Under intense interrogation, Bhup Singh appeared nervous and kept changing his statements. Sensing that he was hiding something, the police pressed harder. Eventually, Bhup Singh broke down and confessed: he had killed Tannu and buried her body in the pit outside their home.

On June 21, 2025, police brought in a JCB excavator and dug up the pit, which was about 10-12 feet deep. The horrifying truth emerged—Tannu’s decomposed body was found buried there. The police immediately took the remains for post-mortem examination.

The Shocking Motive

With the body recovered, the police arrested Tannu’s mother-in-law, Sonia, and her father-in-law, Bhup Singh. Arun, however, had gone missing and was on the run. Tannu’s sister-in-law, Kajal, was not arrested initially, as the family claimed she was unaware of the crime.

During further interrogation, Bhup Singh revealed the chilling details behind the murder. Arun never liked Tannu and wanted to get rid of her. The family’s constant arguments and tension led Bhup Singh, Sonia, and Arun to conspire to kill Tannu. On April 15, 2025, they hatched the plan, and on April 21, they executed it.

On the day of the murder, Sonia left for a relative’s wedding in Uttar Pradesh, leaving Bhup Singh, Arun, Kajal, and Tannu at home. Tannu cooked for everyone, and as they sat down to eat, Arun secretly mixed a sedative into the food served to Tannu and Kajal. Kajal, unaware, went to her room and fell asleep, while Tannu became drowsy.

Bhup Singh then instructed Arun to sleep in another room and went to Tannu’s room himself. Instead of simply killing her, Bhup Singh first assaulted her and then strangled her to death. The post-mortem report would later confirm both the assault and the cause of death.

After the murder, Kajal helped Bhup Singh and Arun bury Tannu’s body in the pit outside their house. The crime was committed late at night on April 21, 2025.

Aftermath and Outrage

The revelation of Tannu’s murder sent shockwaves through the community. The brutality of the crime, the involvement of multiple family members, and the initial police apathy all contributed to public outrage. The police arrested Kajal after learning of her involvement in disposing of the body, while the hunt for Arun continued.

The case highlighted several grim realities: the dangers faced by women in abusive marriages, the persistence of dowry-related harassment, and the tragic consequences when families and authorities fail to act. Tannu, only 23 years old and married for less than two years, had suffered continuous abuse and harassment for dowry. She had even left her marital home for a year, only returning after relatives intervened and persuaded her that things would improve. Sadly, her hopes for a better life were cruelly dashed.

A Call for Justice

The Faridabad murder case stands as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance, compassion, and accountability in our society. The failure of the police to act promptly, despite clear signs of foul play and repeated pleas from Tannu’s family, allowed the perpetrators time to cover up their crime. It was only through the persistence of her grieving father and the intervention of a determined police officer that the truth finally came to light.

As the investigation continues and the search for Arun proceeds, the community demands justice for Tannu. The case has sparked debates about the treatment of women, the role of law enforcement, and the need for systemic change to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Conclusion

Tannu’s story is not just a tale of a single crime but a wake-up call for society at large. It is a plea for awareness, empathy, and action to protect vulnerable individuals from violence and injustice. As the wheels of justice turn, one can only hope that Tannu’s soul finds peace—and that her story inspires real change.