Who Was Manjeet Kaur? Punjabi Instagram Influencer Dies Weeks After Alleged Abduction and Arson Attack

The death of Manjeet Kaur is being investigated by Chandigarh Police after the 28-year-old Punjab-based Instagram creator died in hospital on 26 August, weeks after an alleged abduction and arson attack.

Chandigarh Police have registered a case of kidnapping and murder after a complaint by her mother named two suspects.

Kaur spent nearly two months receiving treatment for severe burn injuries. She was initially admitted to a hospital in Morinda, before being moved to Max Hospital in Mohali and later referred to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh on 9 July.

Kaur, who was originally from Kharar, had built a sizeable audience through Punjabi-language reels, beauty product advertisements, and videos set to popular Punjabi and Haryanvi music.

Her Instagram account had more than 146,000 followers, while her YouTube channel had attracted over 4,000 subscribers.

Manjeet Kaur Death Investigation Begins

According to the complaint filed by Devi, Kaur was allegedly asked to meet two people she knew near a liquor shop in Chandigarh's Sector 34 on 3 July. The two individuals were identified in the complaint as Shubhi and Pinda.

Devi alleged that Kaur was then taken to Morinda, where she was assaulted, tied to a mulberry tree, and set on fire. This allegation forms the basis of the police case, though investigators have not publicly established a motive or released their findings on the precise sequence of events.

A friend reportedly reached the scene and found Kaur seriously injured. The acquaintance reportedly used a blanket to extinguish the flames before she was taken for emergency treatment.

The FIR was registered at Sector 34 police station under Sections 140(1), concerning kidnapping or abduction with intent to murder, 103(1), covering murder, and 3(5), which concerns acts done by several persons in furtherance of a common intention, of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita is India's criminal code that replaced the Indian Penal Code.

Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur confirmed that officers had registered the case following Devi's complaint. DSP South Gurjeet Kaur said police had gathered information about the suspects and formed raid teams to search for them.

Investigators are also examining CCTV footage from the route between Sector 34 and Morinda. They are questioning people known to Kaur as they attempt to identify a possible motive and establish who was involved.

The allegations in the complaint have not been established in court, and police have not yet publicly established the precise sequence of events, the motive or the role of the named suspects.

Questions Surround Manjeet Kaur Death Case

The family has also raised concerns about what happened during Kaur's medical treatment. Devi said her daughter briefly regained consciousness on 5 August and wanted to speak to police about the alleged attack.

Kaur died three weeks later, on 26 August, without giving the statement her family says she hoped to make. Her mother believes that account could have offered investigators vital information about the people who harmed her.

The family said a daily diary entry relating to the matter was recorded at the PGI police station. They accused Kharar Sadar police of failing to record Kaur's statement while she was still able to communicate.

Kharar DSP Ishan Singla rejected the suggestion that officers had failed to assist the family. He stated Kharar Police had helped Devi reach the appropriate police station and supported her in filing the First Information Report (FIR).

Singla also noted that the alleged incident fell exclusively within Chandigarh Police jurisdiction. The investigation now centres on the accounts of Kaur's relatives, footage collected by police, and evidence from the locations identified in the complaint. Officers have not yet announced arrests, charges, or a suspected motive.

Kaur'svideos remain online, but the questions surrounding her final weeks now rest with Chandigarh Police.