Two Arrested in Murder of Influencer Kanchan Kumari; Main Accused on the Run.
Two men have been arrested in Punjab’s Bathinda in connection with the murder of social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, also known as Kamal Kaur. Her body was found in a parked car on a college campus on June 11, two days after she was reported missing.
According to Bathinda Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Amneet Kondal, the accused — identified as Jaspreet Manro and Nimratjeet Singh — have confessed to killing Kanchan by strangulation. The motive, police said, stemmed from the belief that she was “polluting the minds of the youth” with vulgar content on social media.
The alleged mastermind, Amritpal Manro, remains absconding. Police say he lured the influencer to Bathinda under the pretext of a promotional video collaboration. Kanchan had reportedly left home on June 9 after being invited by Amritpal, who claimed he could help grow her reach.
“The accused claimed that they repeatedly warned her to stop posting what they considered vulgar content. When she didn’t comply, they took matters into their own hands,” SSP Kondal stated, calling it a case of extreme and unlawful moral policing.
Kanchan was a rising content creator with over 3.83 lakh followers on Instagram and often traveled across cities for video shoots. Her body was identified by her mother, and investigations are now underway to determine if the murder had links to earlier threats she had received.
One such threat reportedly came from Canada-based designated terrorist Arsh Dalla, who in October last year allegedly warned Kanchan to stop posting “inappropriate” videos online. While police have not confirmed a direct connection between the threat and the murder, they are examining all possibilities.
Who Is Amritpal Manro?
The 30-year-old accused hails from Mehron village in Punjab’s Moga district. A self-proclaimed Nihang, Manro has no formal association with any recognized group. He contested the 2022 state elections from Dharmkot on a Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) ticket but lost.
He is no stranger to controversy — in 2022, a case was registered against him in Ludhiana for allegedly threatening Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. He has since styled himself as a “social media activist” and continues to operate on the fringes of legality.
Police are continuing their manhunt for Amritpal Manro and are also tracing any digital trails that may link the case to transnational extremist networks. Authorities have assured that all leads — including past threats and ideological motives — are being thoroughly pursued.
Comments are closed.