Punjabi influencer Manjeet Kaur's last video surfaces; one arrested so far
PTC Web Desk: A video recorded shortly before the death of Punjabi social media influencer Manjeet Kaur has surfaced. In the video, recorded while she was undergoing treatment at PGI Chandigarh, she alleged that she had been taken away and set on fire by people known to her.
In the video, Manjeet Kaur, who was in a critical condition, said she had been admitted to the hospital for around one-and-a-half months and was suffering severe pain. She named Shubhi and Neha, along with two men who were allegedly with Shubhi, and appealed that those responsible for the attack should not be spared.
Manjeet Kaur was allegedly abducted from Chandigarh before being taken to Morinda, where she was reportedly set on fire. She was around three months pregnant at the time, according to the information available in the case. She remained under treatment for nearly two months before her condition deteriorated and she died at PGI Chandigarh on August 26.
Her death brought the alleged attack into focus and prompted a murder investigation by the Chandigarh Police.
Also Read | Punjabi influencer Manjeet Kaur dies after nearly 2 months: family alleges abduction, assault and burning
Also Read | Punjabi influencer Manjeet Kaur death case: She was 7 weeks pregnant, mother alleges abortion pressure
Kaur's mother, Kanta Devi, alleged that her daughter had been called to Chandigarh's Sector 34 by acquaintances on the night of July 3. She did not return home after leaving the area.
The family later learnt that Manjeet had suffered severe burn injuries and was receiving treatment. According to her mother, Manjeet was taken away in a car and later brought to an isolated location near Morinda, where she was allegedly assaulted, tied to a tree and set on fire.
A friend of Manjeet reportedly reached the spot, extinguished the flames and helped take her to hospital. Because of the seriousness of her injuries, she was eventually shifted to PGI Chandigarh.
The family said Manjeet Kaur began regaining consciousness around August 5 and wanted to speak about what had happened. Her mother alleged that she informed the Kharar police that her daughter was in a condition to give a statement, but claimed that her statement was not recorded at that stage.
First arrest made on September 10
Following Manjeet's death, the Chandigarh Police registered a murder case and began investigating the events of July 3. Investigators examined CCTV footage, call records, mobile locations and other technical evidence. However, the police reportedly found that some important CCTV footage had already been overwritten.
On September 10, the police arrested Parminder Singh alias Pinda, a resident of Kapurthala, from the Sector 48 motor market. The police have described him as an aide of the alleged main accused, Rinku. A court subsequently sent Pinda to four days of police remand.
During questioning, Pinda allegedly told investigators that an argument had taken place between Rinku and Manjeet before the incident. The dispute reportedly escalated into a physical altercation after they reached Sector 34.
According to the police investigation, Manjeet was then taken in a car to an area behind a park in Sector 34, where she was allegedly assaulted and set on fire.
Investigation shifts focus from Morinda to Chandigarh
The initial account of the case suggested that Manjeet was abducted from Sector 34 and taken to Morinda, where she was allegedly tied to a tree and burned.
However, information allegedly obtained during Pinda's interrogation has shifted the police focus back to Chandigarh's Sector 34. Investigators are now examining whether the killing actually took place there before Manjeet was taken for medical treatment.
The police are also looking for Rinku and Shubhi, who remain under investigation. The Sector 34 SHO said investigators were trying to establish their whereabouts based on information obtained during Pinda's questioning.
The role of vehicles has also become an important part of the investigation. The police are now looking for a white Swift and checking its movements on the night of July 3. The Fortuner that was initially suspected is currently not being treated by investigators as the vehicle used in the incident.
Who was Manjeet Kaur?
Manjeet Kaur, 28, was a social media influencer and makeup artist originally from Haryana. She had been living in a rented accommodation in Kharar and had built a sizeable online following through makeup, lifestyle and cosmetic-related content.
She also posted reels featuring Punjabi and Haryanvi songs and promotional content for cosmetic products. She reportedly had more than 1,46,000 followers on Instagram and around 4,000 subscribers on YouTube.
Her mother's initial suspicion reportedly centred on Rinku and Parminder Singh alias Pinda. The police subsequently examined call detail records and mobile locations linked to the night of July 3. Investigators are now matching those technical findings with statements and CCTV evidence to establish the complete sequence of events.
The investigation remains underway, with the police continuing their search for the other suspects and attempting to establish exactly where and how Manjeet was attacked.
- PTC NEWS
