A 28-year-old Punjabi social media influencer, Manjeet Kaur, has died after battling severe burn injuries for several weeks following an alleged abduction and brutal assault in Punjab. She succumbed during treatment at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh on August 26.
According to a complaint filed by her mother, Kanta Devi, Manjeet was allegedly called by two acquaintances, identified as Shubhi and Pinda, to meet near a liquor shop in Sector 34, Chandigarh, late on July 3. The two allegedly forced her into a car and drove her towards Morinda.
The family has alleged that after reaching Morinda, Manjeet was assaulted, tied to a mulberry tree and set on fire. An acquaintance reportedly found her engulfed in flames and managed to put out the fire using a blanket before taking her to a nearby hospital.
Due to the seriousness of her injuries, she was subsequently shifted to a hospital in Mohali and later referred to PGIMER in Chandigarh on July 9. She remained unconscious for several weeks. On August 5, she reportedly regained consciousness and told her family about the alleged incident. However, her health later deteriorated despite treatment.
Following her death, Chandigarh Police registered a case of kidnapping and murder against the two suspects named by the family. The FIR includes charges under Sections 140(1), 103(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, relating to kidnapping, murder and joint criminal liability. Police teams are conducting searches for the accused and examining CCTV footage along the route from Chandigarh to Morinda.
The case has also raised questions about the handling of Manjeet's statement during her treatment. Reports say she had expressed a willingness to record her statement after regaining consciousness, but the statement was allegedly not recorded at that time.
Manjeet had a significant social media following, with around 1.46 lakh followers on Instagram and 4,000 on YouTube. She is survived by her seven-year-old son. The investigation is now focused on establishing the circumstances behind the alleged attack and locating the two suspects.
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