Manjit Kaur, a 28-year-old influencer, has died after spending almost two months in hospital following an alleged attack that left her with severe burns. She died on August 26 after reportedly being abducted and taken to a forested area in Punjab, India, where police allege she was subjected to a brutal assault.
A postmortem examination carried out at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh two days after Kaur's death reportedly found that she was around seven weeks pregnant.
Alleged Abduction and Assault
Kaur's mother, Kanta Devi, told police that two acquaintances, identified in reports as Shubhi and Pinda, had allegedly contacted her daughter on the evening of July 3 and asked her to meet them. According to the complaint, the pair then allegedly forced Kaur into a vehicle before driving her away from Chandigarh towards an area near Morinda.
Police allege that Kaur was taken to a wooded area, where she was assaulted before being tied to a tree and set on fire. A friend who reportedly reached the scene later found Kaur engulfed in flames. The friend is said to have used a blanket to extinguish the fire before Kaur was taken to hospital with serious burn injuries.
Hospitalisation and Death
Kaur remained in hospital for weeks as doctors treated her. According to reports, she eventually regained consciousness and wanted to tell police what had happened to her. However, police sources reportedly said her statement was never recorded.
Kaur died on August 26, almost eight weeks after the alleged attack. Following her death, police registered a case of kidnapping and murder after receiving a complaint from her mother.
Investigation and Background
Investigators are now attempting to establish exactly what happened on the night of July 3 and are searching for the vehicle allegedly used to take Kaur away. CCTV footage and other evidence from the route are being examined as part of the investigation. However, the passage of time could prove significant, with reports suggesting some potentially important CCTV recordings may already have been overwritten.
Police have yet to establish a motive for the alleged attack. The two people named as suspects in the first information report (FIR), Shubhi and Pinda, are reportedly being sought by officers.
Kaur had built a significant following online before her death. She reportedly had around 146,000 followers on Instagram, where she posted reels, promotional material and videos about her lifestyle. She also ran a YouTube channel featuring family vlogs. Reports state that Kaur was divorced and was the mother of a seven-year-old son.
The investigation remains ongoing as officers attempt to trace the alleged suspects, establish the circumstances surrounding Kaur's abduction and determine what led to the attack.
