Inside the Nagod Royal Family Feud: Property Dispute, Business Interests and a Shooting at Parsmania Garhi
The princely state of Nagod in Madhya Pradesh officially ceased to exist in 1950 after its ruler signed the Instrument of Accession and merged the kingdom with the Indian Union.
While the kingdom disappeared from the country’s political landscape, the family that once governed it retained its social standing, extensive landholdings and considerable influence in the Vindhya region.
Over the decades, the former royal household successfully reinvented itself as one of central India’s most prominent landed and politically connected families.
Yet, beneath the legacy of privilege and prestige, old fault lines remained. Like many erstwhile royal families across India, the Nagod household found itself grappling with familiar issues—property rights, inheritance claims and control over valuable family assets.
According to people familiar with the matter, these disagreements slowly intensified, transforming private tensions into a deeply bitter and highly public family feud.
Shooting Incident Brings Family Rift Into Public View
The long-simmering dispute burst into the public eye on June 11 when Yogita Singh, the estranged wife of Rupendra Kumar Singh, suffered a gunshot wound to her abdomen during a confrontation at the family’s historic Parsmania Garhi fort in Madhya Pradesh’s Satna district.
Following the incident, police arrested Sunita Singh Parihar, who allegedly fired the .22-bore rifle used in the shooting.
The case quickly attracted widespread attention, not only because it involved a former royal family but also because of allegations surrounding the relationships and business dealings among those involved.
Yogita Singh’s family has claimed that Parihar shared a close personal relationship with Rupendra Singh.
However, representatives of Rupendra Singh have firmly rejected the allegation, maintaining that Parihar is merely a long-time business associate and financial partner involved in several family enterprises.
More Than a Marital Dispute
People close to the family say the shooting was the culmination of years of unresolved tensions.
The conflict was not limited to the breakdown of a marriage.
It also involved disagreements over the operation of a petrol pump, plans to develop a resort within the fort premises and questions surrounding the future management of assets linked to one of the Vindhya region’s most influential former royal households.
At the centre of the controversy is Rupendra Singh, popularly known as “Baba Raja.” A member of the Nagod royal family and a relative of a sitting BJP MLA, Rupendra has long overseen the affairs of Parsmania Garhi, an expansive fort estate near Unchehra that remains a symbol of the family’s enduring influence and legacy.
For nearly two decades, Yogita Singh was regarded as the recognised daughter-in-law of the household. She comes from a well-known family in Udaipur, Rajasthan, and married Rupendra Singh in 2000.
Over the years, she also built her own public identity, serving as the sarpanch of Parsmania Panchayat. She is the mother of the couple’s only son, Prithudev Singh.
Entry of Sunita Parihar and Growing Business Interests
Sunita Parihar became associated with the family much later. Originally from Umri village in Satna district, she initially engaged in social welfare activities and NGO work in the Parsmania region before becoming involved in Rupendra Singh’s business ventures.
According to representatives of Rupendra Singh, Parihar has been associated with him since 2016 and has played an active role in several commercial projects.
“She is not merely a working associate but also a financial stakeholder in multiple ventures.
She has invested her own resources in businesses connected to Rupendra Singh, including the petrol pump and the proposed hospitality project at Parsmania Garhi,” a representative told The Indian Express.
Petrol Pump and Resort Project Become Flashpoints
One of the principal sources of friction within the family revolved around the petrol pump business.
Representatives of Rupendra Singh stated that while the ownership and proprietorship of the fuel station remained in Yogita Singh’s name, disputes emerged over its administration and day-to-day functioning.
“The proprietorship remained with Yogita Singh, but there were repeated disagreements regarding its management and operations. Those disputes became a recurring source of conflict between the parties,” the representative said.
According to the same account, Parihar had invested financially in the venture and was actively involved in its operations. The petrol station had reportedly remained closed for a period before resuming business activities.
The disagreements extended beyond the fuel business. Family members and individuals familiar with the matter said discussions were underway to commercially develop portions of Parsmania Garhi by converting sections of the historic fort into a hospitality venture.
Rupendra Singh’s representatives maintain that Parihar was also an investor in the proposed resort project and had a financial stake in its future development.
Marriage Breakdown and Legal Separation
By 2024, the relationship between Rupendra and Yogita Singh had entered a formal legal phase.
“They are not divorced, but Rupendra Singh filed for separation in 2024. For some time before the incident, Yogita Singh had been living separately.
The couple had longstanding differences and several disputes emerged following the separation,” his representative said.
Against this backdrop of strained personal relations and business disagreements, the events of June 11 unfolded.
Conflicting FIRs and Ongoing Investigation
An FIR registered based on a complaint filed by Rupendra Singh alleges that his brother-in-law, Nagendra Singh Rathore, along with two others, assaulted him using broken glass pieces, fragments of a chandelier cover and a steel bottle.
He claimed that he sustained injuries on various parts of his body and was threatened before the men left the premises. Police are currently investigating these allegations.
Meanwhile, another FIR filed from Yogita Singh’s side alleges that she was deliberately shot during the confrontation.
Following the complaint, Sunita Parihar was arrested and subsequently remanded to judicial custody.
The Heir at the Centre of Family Concerns
The dispute has also been influenced by the position of Prithudev Singh, the only son of Rupendra and Yogita Singh.
Several people familiar with the family describe him as the next-generation heir of Rupendra Singh’s branch of the former royal household.
Members of the extended family say that despite the deterioration in relations between the couple, discussions concerning Prithudev’s future and inheritance remained central to interactions between both sides.
A member of the royal family claimed that the couple last met at a family function in Jaipur, where Rupendra Singh reportedly made it clear that he could no longer continue the marriage but assured everyone that their son would inherit the family’s assets.
However, according to relatives, these assurances failed to ease tensions or resolve the growing disputes.
A Conflict Over Influence and Control
Yogita Singh’s family rejects the argument that the conflict was confined to business matters.
Family members allege that Sunita Parihar’s increasing involvement in the affairs of Parsmania Garhi, her participation in businesses linked to the estate and her presence within the fort had been a source of concern and friction for several years.
According to them, what initially began as marital discord gradually evolved into a much wider battle over influence, access to family resources and decision-making authority within one of the region’s most prominent former royal households.
For now, investigators say their focus remains firmly on the criminal case.
“These are all aspects that can be examined if such statements are formally presented before the police.
At present, our primary concern is the shooting incident and the offences arising from it,” Additional Superintendent of Police Prem Lal Kurwe told the media.
As the investigation progresses, the dispute inside the once-powerful Nagod royal family has become a reminder that although princely states may have vanished from India’s political map decades ago, the struggles over power, inheritance and legacy continue to shape the destinies of their descendants.
