Finding into death of Nikita Chawla

23y · Female·Multiple head and neck injuries

Nikita Chawla, a 23-year-old woman, was killed by her husband Parminder Singh on 9 January 2015 following the discovery of her relationship with a male colleague. Singh had risk factors including substance abuse (alcohol and cannabis dependence), mental health conditions (anxiety disorder, depression, panic attacks), and had disengaged from psychological treatment. The relationship was deteriorating due to separation, a known risk factor for escalated family violence. Singh called emergency services and confessed to using a meat cleaver to inflict approximately 35 wounds to Ms Chawla's head and neck. The coroner found no preventable systemic healthcare issues but noted the importance of recognising relationship breakdown and separation as significant violence risk factors, particularly in individuals with untreated mental health and substance abuse conditions.