Punjabi influencer dies almost two months after brutal assault by acquaintances

Punjabi social media influencer Manjit Kaur has died at a government hospital in Chandigarh, almost two months after she was allegedly assaulted and set on fire.

Kaur, 28, died during treatment at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on August 26, police said on Saturday (August 29, 2026).

According to a complaint lodged by her mother, Kaur was allegedly kidnapped by her two acquaintances — Shubhi and Pinda — on July 3 after they called her near a liquor shop in Sector 34 here.

She was allegedly taken to Morinda in Punjab, where she was assaulted, tied to a tree and set on fire, the complaint stated.

Kaur's friend reached the spot and used a blanket to put out the fire, before rushing her to a hospital in Morinda. She was later taken to a private hospital in Mohali and then to PGIMER, Chandigarh.

The victim's mother alleged that her daughter had regained consciousness on August 5, but despite notifying the Kharar police in Mohali to record her statement, police did not arrive. Police, however, rejected the allegations, saying that they fully cooperated with the family.

A case under sections 103 (1) (murder) and 140 (1) (kidnapping), among others, has been registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said.

Chandigarh Deputy Superintendent of Police (South) Gurjeet Kaur said the investigation was underway and efforts were on to trace the assailants.

Police are examining CCTV footage and other evidence to find those behind this incident, besides working to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged kidnapping.

The motive behind the killing is yet to be ascertained.

Kaur, who had around 1.46 lakh followers on Instagram, used to post videos featuring Punjabi and Haryanvi songs.