Pregnant Influencer Dies After Alleged Kidnapping and Attack in India
Manjit Kaur, a 28-year-old influencer from Punjab, India, died on August 26 after spending nearly two months in hospital following an alleged attack. According to police and her mother, Kaur was kidnapped, assaulted, tied to a tree, and set on fire on July 3. A postmortem examination conducted at PGIMER in Chandigarh two days after her death revealed she was around seven weeks pregnant.
The Alleged Attack
Kaur's mother, Kanta Devi, told police that two acquaintances, Shubhi and Pinda, contacted her daughter on the evening of July 3 and asked her to meet them. Police allege that the pair forced Kaur into a vehicle and drove her from Chandigarh towards an area near Morinda. There, in a wooded area, she was assaulted, tied to a tree, and set on fire.
A friend who arrived at the scene found Kaur engulfed in flames and used a blanket to extinguish the fire before she was taken to hospital. She suffered severe burns and remained in treatment for almost two months.
Hospital and Death
During her treatment, Kaur regained consciousness and reportedly wanted to give a statement to police about what had happened. However, police sources said her statement was never recorded. She died on August 26, nearly eight weeks after the attack.
Following her death, police registered a case of kidnapping and murder based on a complaint from her mother. The two suspects, Shubhi and Pinda, are currently being sought by police.
Investigation
Investigators are searching for the vehicle allegedly used in the abduction and are examining CCTV footage and other evidence from the route between Chandigarh and Morinda. Reports suggest that some potentially important CCTV recordings may have already been overwritten due to the passage of time. Police have yet to establish a motive for the alleged attack.
Background
Kaur had built a substantial online following, with around 146,000 Instagram followers where she shared reels, promotional content, and lifestyle videos. She also ran a YouTube channel featuring family vlogs. Kaur was reportedly divorced and leaves behind a seven-year-old son.