A pregnant influencer has died after she was allegedly kidnapped, brutally assaulted, tied to a tree and set on fire.
Manjit Kaur, 28, died from her injuries on August 26 after nearly two months in hospital following the attack. A postmortem examination has since revealed Kaur was around seven weeks pregnant when she died.
Attack and hospitalisation
Her mother, Kanta Devi, told police that two acquaintances, named in the report as Shubhi and Pinda, called Kaur to meet them on the night of July 3. The pair were said to have forced her into a vehicle before taking her to a forested area, where they allegedly assaulted Kaur, tied her to a tree, and set her on fire in the Indian state of Punjab.
A friend who later arrived at the scene found Kaur engulfed in flames and put out the fire using a blanket. She was rushed to hospital with severe burns and spent almost two months receiving treatment for her injuries.
Statement never recorded
Kaur regained consciousness during her treatment and wanted to give a statement about what had happened. But police sources claimed her statement was never recorded.
She died on August 26, with police subsequently registering a case of kidnapping and murder following her mother's complaint. Kaur was reportedly taken from Chandigarh to an area near Morinda.
Investigation and background
Police are now working to identify the vehicle allegedly used to abduct her, with investigators examining CCTV footage and other evidence from the route. However, there are fears crucial footage may already have been lost because of the time that has passed.
The motive behind the alleged attack has not yet been established. Kaur's autopsy was conducted at PGIMER in Chandigarh two days after her death and revealed the pregnancy.
Kaur had built a substantial online following, attracting around 146,000 Instagram followers where she shared reels, promotional content and lifestyle videos. She also had a YouTube channel featuring family vlogs. According to reports, Kaur was divorced and leaves behind a seven-year-old son.
The two suspects are currently being sought by police.
