Punjab sees rise in vigilante violence against influencers

Incidents of vigilante violence targeting social media influencers in Punjab have sparked widespread fear, exposing a dangerous trend of radical groups intimidating and killing content creators under the guise of moral policing.

- NEERAJ MOHAN

The brutal murder of Instagram star Kanchan Kumari, widely known as Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, has sent shockwaves through the digital community, shifting focus to the need for stringent laws to curb this escalating crisis. Kanchan, a 28-year-old influencer with over 383,000 followers on the day of her death, which has now reached 445,000, was found strangled in a car near Bathinda's Adesh Medical University on 10 June.

Authorities allege that Amritpal Singh Mehron, a radical preacher with ties to extremist groups, lured her to a fake video shoot before orchestrating her murder, citing her content as "immoral." Mehron, who has apparently fled to the UAE, is now the subject of a lookout circular, with Punjab Police pursuing his deportation. Meanwhile, two of his associates, Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjit Singh have already been arrested and are under interrogation.

The killing has not only devastated Kanchan's family and fans but also ignited a firestorm of online glorification of her murderer. Fringe social media accounts linked to radical religious outfits celebrated the act, with hashtags praising Mehron briefly trending. This alarming response has left other influencers, such as Simarpreet Kaur (Preet Jatti) and Deepika Luthra, reeling from death threats.