In a chilling turn of events in Bhiwani, Haryana, the gruesome murder of Praveen has exposed a dark side of social media obsession and fractured family ties. Raveena, the wife who now stands accused of his murder, had already severed the emotional and social bonds of her marriage long before she and her lover, Suresh, took Praveen’s life. Her Instagram account, where she crafted a carefully curated image of herself, tells a story of deception that ultimately led to tragedy.

Raveena, a 32-year-old woman from Joodi village in Rewari, was no stranger to the world of social media. On Instagram, she was a rising star, boasting over 34,000 followers under the handle “Raveena Rao.” She frequently posted short videos, slipping into roles like a devoted mother, a dutiful wife, or a caring sister-in-law. These videos, often steeped in emotional drama, earned her between “₹2,000 and ₹2,500” per post, a modest but empowering income for someone from a small town. It was on this platform, about a year and a half ago, that she connected with Suresh, a YouTuber from Prem Nagar in Hisar. What began as a collaboration for content creation soon blossomed into an illicit romance, pulling Raveena further away from her family.

Long before the murder, Raveena had begun to rewrite her identity online. Despite living with her husband, Praveen, and their six-year-old son, Mukul, she boldly labeled herself a “single mother” on her Instagram profile. This declaration was more than just a caption—it was a deliberate signal that she had emotionally detached herself from her marriage. Her posts painted a picture of a strong, independent woman who believed in karma, yet her actions told a different story. While she played the part of a loving family member in her videos, her real-life relationships were crumbling under the weight of her obsession with fame and her growing closeness to Suresh.

Raveena’s YouTube channel further amplified her online persona. She starred in short, emotional videos, sometimes portraying a nurturing mother or a compassionate wife. These roles, however, were a stark contrast to her reality. Her marriage to Praveen, a 35-year-old auto-rickshaw driver from Gujron Ki Dhani near Bhiwani’s Old Bus Stand, was marked by constant conflict. Praveen struggled with alcohol addiction and earned a meager income, which fueled Raveena’s discontent. As her social media presence grew, so did her sense of independence. She began to see herself as a rising star, no longer content with the life she shared with her husband. This mindset, coupled with her affair, set the stage for a devastating crime.

Interestingly, Raveena’s social media wasn’t entirely devoid of her family. She occasionally posted videos featuring Praveen and Mukul, perhaps to maintain an illusion of normalcy. Yet, her “single mother” narrative persisted, a clear sign that she had mentally checked out of her marriage. Her posts about strength and independence clashed with the reality of her strained relationship with Praveen, who disapproved of her social media activities. According to reports, the couple’s arguments often centered on her late-night shoots and her closeness with Suresh, whom Praveen suspected of being more than just a collaborator. These tensions, simmering for months, would soon explode into a tragedy that shocked the community.

The Crime

The events leading to Praveen’s murder unfolded with chilling precision. Raveena’s obsession with Instagram and YouTube had consumed her, driving a wedge between her and her husband. On March 25, this rift turned deadly. That day, Raveena returned home after being away, reportedly to shoot content. According to Praveen’s father, Subhash, the couple had a “heated argument” during the day, likely sparked by Praveen’s disapproval of her social media activities or his suspicions about her affair. That night, Praveen was still at home, but by morning, he had vanished. When family members asked Raveena about his whereabouts, she claimed ignorance, acting as though nothing was amiss.

Unbeknownst to the family, Raveena and Suresh had committed a heinous act. Consumed by her desire to eliminate Praveen, whom she saw as an obstacle to her affair and her aspirations, Raveena confessed to “strangling her husband with a scarf”. The murder took place in their home, with their six-year-old son asleep nearby. Instead of raising an alarm, the pair waited until the dead of night to dispose of the body. Around 2:30 a.m., they placed Praveen’s lifeless body between them on a motorcycle, with Suresh driving and Raveena sitting behind, her face covered. They rode six kilometers to Dinnod Road, where they dumped the body in a “filthy drain”. The callousness of their actions sent shockwaves through Bhiwani when the truth came to light.

Three days later, on March 28, Praveen’s decomposed body was discovered in the drain, prompting a police investigation. Subhash, devastated by his son’s death, told authorities that Raveena had been in contact with Suresh for over a year and a half and that their marriage had been fraught with disputes. He firmly believed that Raveena’s affair with Suresh led to the murder. His suspicions were confirmed when police reviewed CCTV footage from the area. The footage captured a motorcycle carrying three figures—a helmeted rider, a veiled woman, and what appeared to be a body wedged between them. Hours later, the same bike returned with only two passengers. This damning evidence led to Raveena and Suresh’s arrest on April 12, “nineteen days” after the crime.

During interrogation, Raveena admitted to the murder, revealing that Praveen had become an obstacle in her illicit relationship with Suresh. The case, now widely reported by outlets like Amar Ujala and The Times of India, has sparked a broader conversation about the dangers of social media obsession and its impact on personal relationships. Raveena’s story is a tragic reminder of how the pursuit of online fame can erode the very bonds that hold families together.

CCTV Footage Unveils the Truth

Determined to find out what happened to Praveen after he vanished from his home on March 25, his relatives scoured CCTV footage from all exit points near their residence in Gujron Ki Dhani. What they discovered was nothing short of horrifying. Recorded between “2:00 to 2:30 AM”, the footage showed Raveena, accompanied by a man wearing a helmet, transporting Praveen’s lifeless body, which was wrapped in cloth and appeared unconscious. The grainy but damning video captured the couple’s cold-blooded actions, revealing a truth far darker than anyone could have imagined.

The family wasted no time in handing this alarming evidence to the Bhiwani police, who immediately sprang into action. Based on the footage and other preliminary information, authorities took Raveena and her accomplice, Suresh, into custody for rigorous questioning. Under intense interrogation, Raveena’s facade crumbled. She confessed to “murdering her husband with the help of her lover”, unraveling a tale of betrayal and obsession that had festered for over a year. The CCTV footage, now a cornerstone of the investigation, not only corroborated the family’s suspicions but also exposed the meticulous planning behind the crime, leaving no room for Raveena to deny her role.

During her confession, Raveena laid bare the motives that drove her to such an extreme act. She admitted to being in an “illicit relationship with YouTuber Suresh”, a bond that had grown stronger over the past year and a half through their shared passion for creating social media content. Praveen, aware of their closeness, had repeatedly confronted Raveena, pressuring her to end the affair. His suspicions were not unfounded, as the couple’s marriage had been deteriorating for months, largely due to Raveena’s obsession with her online persona. On March 25, Raveena returned home after days away, reportedly shooting videos for her social media channels. That night, the simmering tension between her and Praveen reached a deadly climax. In a fit of rage and desperation, Raveena “strangled Praveen with a dupatta” while their six-year-old son, Mukul, slept in the same house.

The brutality didn’t end there. After ensuring everyone in the household was asleep, Raveena and Suresh executed the next phase of their plan with chilling precision. They placed Praveen’s body on a motorcycle, positioning it “between them” as they rode through the quiet streets of Bhiwani. Their destination was a desolate drain along Dinnod Road, roughly six kilometers from their home. There, they callously dumped the body, hoping to erase all traces of their crime. 

Caught in a Compromising Situation

As the police dug deeper, Suresh, the YouTuber from Prem Nagar in Hisar, also cracked under pressure during his remand. He admitted that he had met Raveena through Instagram, where their shared interest in creating short videos sparked a connection. Over the course of “about one and a half years”, their professional collaboration evolved into a romantic relationship, one that Praveen had grown increasingly suspicious of. Suresh revealed a critical detail about the night of the murder: Praveen had caught Raveena and Suresh “in a compromising situation at home”. This confrontation, fueled by Praveen’s anger and Raveena’s refusal to end the affair, became the tipping point. Faced with the threat of exposure and unwilling to let go of their relationship, Raveena and Suresh made the fateful decision to kill Praveen.

What makes the case even more shocking is Raveena’s behavior in the aftermath of the murder. Despite having strangled her husband, she carried on as if nothing had happened. Throughout the following day, she mingled with family members, feigning concern when asked about Praveen’s whereabouts. Her ability to maintain this pretense while knowing his body lay in a drain is a testament to the chilling detachment she had developed. It wasn’t until “around 2:30 AM” that night, after everyone had gone to sleep, that Raveena and Suresh transported Praveen’s body to Dinnod Road, completing their cover-up. This act of deception, coupled with the CCTV evidence, left no doubt about their guilt.

The tragedy has left a devastating mark on the couple’s six-year-old son, Mukul, who is now an orphan in all but name. With his father brutally murdered and his mother in jail for the crime, Mukul’s world has been shattered. He is currently in the care of his grandfather, Subhash, and uncle, Sandeep, who are struggling to provide him with stability amid their grief. Subhash, in particular, has been vocal about his belief that Raveena’s affair with Suresh was the driving force behind the murder.

Raveena’s Social Media Obsession

At the heart of this tragedy lies Raveena’s all-consuming obsession with social media. Operating under the handle “Raveena Rao,” she had amassed over “34,000 followers and 659 posts” on Instagram, where she shared a mix of short videos, dance reels, and emotional skits. Her YouTube channel, featuring collaborations with other actors, further fueled her aspirations of stardom. These platforms were more than just a creative outlet for Raveena—they were a gateway to a new identity, one where she could escape the realities of her troubled marriage and modest life in Bhiwani.

Despite warnings from her family, Raveena’s fixation on her online presence only grew stronger. Her frequent arguments with Praveen, often centered on her late-night shoots and interactions with Suresh, became a constant source of tension. On “the day of the murder—March 25”, Raveena had just returned home after days away, likely filming content for her channels. This absence, coupled with Praveen’s growing suspicions about her relationship with Suresh, set the stage for the fatal confrontation that night. Raveena’s refusal to prioritize her family over her social media ambitions ultimately led to a decision that destroyed multiple lives.

Based on the family’s suspicions and the irrefutable CCTV footage, police interrogated Raveena and Suresh, both of whom confessed to their roles in Praveen’s murder. A formal case of murder has been registered against them, and the duo has been sent to judicial custody pending further investigation. Narendra Kumar, SHO of Sadar Police Station, emphasized the ongoing nature of the probe, stating, “Any new findings will also be included in the investigation.” The police are now combing through additional evidence, including Raveena’s social media activity and phone records, to uncover any further details about the planning and execution of the crime.