CHANDIGARH: A midnight abduction, a brutal attack in a forested area and a seven-week pregnancy discovered after her death — the case of Punjabi social media influencer Manjeet Kaur has raised disturbing questions over who was behind the attack. Nearly two months after she was allegedly abducted from Chandigarh and set on fire in Morinda, two acquaintances have been named as accused in the FIR, but police are yet to arrest them.
The question with no answer yet: Who killed Manjeet Kaur?
Two acquaintances, Shubhi and Pinda, have been named as accused in the FIR. According to Kaur’s mother, Kanta Devi, the two allegedly called Kaur to Sector 34 in Chandigarh on the intervening night of July 3 and 4, assaulted her and forced her into a vehicle before taking her to a forested area near Morinda. They allegedly tied her to a tree and set her on fire.Kaur, who had around 1.46 lakh followers on Instagram, suffered severe burn injuries in the alleged attack and was eventually shifted to PGIMER in Chandigarh, where she died on August 26.Sources said Kaur regained consciousness during treatment and wanted to give her statement, but the investigating officer allegedly did not reach PGIMER despite being informed that she was fit to speak. She died before her statement could be recorded.Her mother’s statement was recorded after her death, following which an FIR for kidnapping and murder was registered on August 27. The FIR names Shubhi and Pinda as accused. Police are now trying to trace them.Kaur’s postmortem was conducted at PGIMER on August 28. Punjab Police have denied allegations of negligence, saying the alleged abduction took place in Chandigarh and that action was therefore to be taken by Chandigarh Police.
Postmortem reveals pregnancy
The autopsy has added another disturbing layer to the case.Kaur was found to have been nearly seven weeks pregnant when she died, according to the postmortem findings.It is not clear from the available information whether her pregnancy was connected to the alleged attack or the events leading up to it. Investigators may have to establish whether the finding has any bearing on the circumstances surrounding her death.
