‘Tied to tree, set on fire’: 28-year-old Chandigarh influencer dies weeks after alleged abduction, assault

A 28-year-old female social media influencer, Manjeet Kaur, who was allegedly abducted from Chandigarh and set on fire in Morinda, died during treatment at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on August 26. Following a complaint by the victim’s mother, the Chandigarh Police registered a case of kidnapping and murder against two suspects.

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According to the complaint filed by her mother, Kanta Devi, two acquaintances—identified as Shubhi and Pinda—called Manjeet late on the night of July 3 to meet near a liquor shop in Sector 34, Chandigarh. Upon her arrival, the suspects forcibly pushed her into a car and drove her to Morinda. There, she was physically assaulted, tied to a mulberry tree, and set on fire.

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An acquaintance who spotted her engulfed in flames doused the fire using a blanket and rushed her to a local hospital in Morinda. Due to her critical condition, she was moved to a hospital in Mohali before being referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh, on July 9.

Manjeet remained unconscious at PGIMER for several weeks before briefly regaining consciousness on August 5, at which point she recounted the entire ordeal to her family. Despite medical efforts, her condition deteriorated, and she succumbed to her severe burn injuries on August 26.

Following her death, the Sector 34 police station registered an FIR under Sections 140(1) (kidnapping), 103(1) (murder), and 3(5) (joint criminal liability) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

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Inspector Shadi Lal, SHO of the Sector 34 Police Station, stated that the deceased was a divorcee and is survived by her seven-year-old son. Police sources added that Manjeet had allegedly been in a live-in relationship with one of the named suspects.

Police teams are currently conducting raids to locate Shubhi and Pinda. Investigators are analyzing CCTV footage along the entire route from Sector 34, Chandigarh, to Morinda to trace the suspects’ movements, while family members and friends are being interviewed to gather further evidence.