Chandigarh: Punjabi social media influencer Manjit Kaur died at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, on August 26, nearly eight weeks after she was allegedly kidnapped, assaulted, tied to a tree and set on fire, her family said.
Allegations of kidnapping and assault
The victim’s mother, Kanta Devi, told police that on July 3 two acquaintances identified as Shubhi and Pinda called Kaur near a liquor shop in Sector 34, Chandigarh, and took her in a car to Morinda in neighbouring Punjab. At the Morinda location, Devi alleged, Kaur was assaulted, tied to a mulberry tree and set on fire.
Devi said a friend reached the spot, found Kaur engulfed in flames and used a blanket to douse them before taking her to a hospital in Morinda. Kaur was later shifted to Max Hospital in Mohali and referred to PGIMER on July 9.
Medical course and death
According to the family account, Kaur received treatment at multiple hospitals over the course of nearly a month and regained consciousness on August 5. She continued to receive treatment at PGIMER until she died on August 26.
Allegations of police negligence
Kaur’s mother accused the Kharar Sadar police in Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar (Mohali) district of not recording her daughter’s statement in time and of failing to reach PGIMER when requested. The family said that had Kaur’s statement been recorded earlier, it might have provided “crucial leads”.
“Since the place of occurrence falls under Chandigarh jurisdiction, the action was to be taken by Chandigarh Police. Kharar police provided full assistance to the victim’s mother, took her to the concerned police station, and facilitated the registration of the FIR in Chandigarh,” Ishan Singla, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kharar, said.
The family also said a daily diary entry was recorded at the PGI police post in connection with the matter. Chandigarh Police said they were scanning CCTV footage from Sector 34 to Morinda to establish the sequence of events that led to Kaur’s death.
Investigative steps under way
Chandigarh Police confirmed they were examining visual footage from the Sector 34 area and routes towards Morinda in an attempt to reconstruct movements on the day of the alleged crime. The involvement of two different police jurisdictions — Chandigarh and Kharar (Mohali) — has been highlighted by both the family and the Kharar police statement.
No formal charges or arrests were reported in the material provided by the family or the official brief at the time of reporting. The family identified two acquaintances by name and said they were responsible for calling Kaur to the meeting that preceded the alleged attack.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| July 3 | Family says Kaur was called from Sector 34, taken to Morinda and allegedly assaulted and set on fire. |
| Early July | Treated first at a hospital in Morinda; shifted to Max Hospital, Mohali. |
| July 9 | Referred to PGIMER, Chandigarh. |
| August 5 | Kaur reportedly regained consciousness after nearly a month of treatment. |
| August 26 | Kaur died at PGIMER, Chandigarh. |
What authorities have said
- Kharar DSP Ishan Singla denied allegations of negligence by his force and said Kharar police had cooperated with Kaur’s family and assisted in facilitating FIR registration in Chandigarh.
- Chandigarh Police said CCTV from Sector 34 to Morinda was being scanned to determine the sequence of events.
Legal and procedural context
The case involves alleged offences that took place across a Chandigarh location and a site in Punjab, which requires coordination between the respective police units. The family has emphasised the importance of an early statement from the victim; investigators commonly treat timely statements and medical records as material to corroborate complaints in assault and kidnapping cases.
As of the last update provided by the family and police statements, FIR registration in Chandigarh has been facilitated with support from Kharar police, while investigative teams continue to examine CCTV and other material to establish culpability and the precise chain of events.
Further developments, including any formal charges or arrests, were not reported in the material made available at the time of publication.
