Punjab Sees Rise in Vigilante Violence Against Influencers

"This is no longer about criticism—it's about life and death," said influencer Chand Singh from Bandra village, who has shifted to safer content to avoid targeting.

- 

CONTINUED FROM P1 listen to obscene songs. He said those who spread vulgarity in the name of Sikh religion should face this kind of punishment.

The pervasive fear has stifled free expression, with creators self-censoring to evade the wrath of vigilante groups.

Further the glorification of vigilante violence on social media has raised urgent concerns about the role of platforms in amplifying hate, with several posters and video being circulated on social media terming Kanchan's killer Amritpal as "Kaum Da Heera" (Jewel of the Community) and "Izattan De Rakhe" (Protector of Honour) and posts hailing Kanchan's murder as "justice". Meanwhile, police cyber cells are struggling to dismantle these hate networks, with Instagram deactivating Mehron's accounts and banning his group, Qaum De Rakhe.

Meanwhile, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld personal liberty in recent rulings, with Justice Vinod S. Bhardwaj stating, "Individual autonomy cannot be dictated by societal morality."