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The Hindu
2 hours ago
- The Hindu
Why Influencer Kanchan Kumari Was Killed: Inside a Punjab Vigilante Murder
Published : Jun 30, 2025 19:53 IST - 12 MINS READ A foul smell wafting from a parked car in the parking lot of Adesh Hospital in Punjab's Bathinda, on June 11, panicked locals. When police pried open the vehicle, they found the decomposing body of 30-year-old Kanchan Kumari—better known to her 3,85,000 Instagram followers and 2,36,000 YouTube subscribers as 'Kamal Kaur Bhabhi'. What happened later was even more spine-chilling: A radical vigilante's boastful confession, Sikh religious leaders justifying her killing, posters and flex-boards glorifying the main accused Amritpal Singh Mehron as Kaum Da Heera (diamond of the community) and Izattan De Rakhe (saviours of honour). This unmasked a State torn between morality and faith-based mob justice. Originally from Uttar Pradesh, Kanchan's family migrated to Punjab decades ago, settling in Giaspura, Ludhiana. She lived with her mother, two brothers, and two sisters, maintaining close family ties despite her rising online fame. After her father died of cancer, she became the primary breadwinner and covered her mother's medical expenses. Prior to her foray into social media, she is said to have been a dancer with a local orchestra and, until four years ago, worked at a bank. This was not the first time her life was in danger. Arsh Dalla, a Canada-based designated terrorist, had reportedly warned her to stop posting 'inappropriate' and 'vulgar' videos, threatening harm to her and her family if she did not comply. This was in October 2024. Notably, a sizable share of digital backlash came from Sikhs living overseas. But despite threats and bitter criticism, her online persona remained a polarising yet influential one. Also Read | Silencing speech online Kanchan's digital avatar was confident, flamboyant, and unapologetically bold. Her Instagram reels—often laced with sexual overtones—relied heavily on her speech. She spoke directly to the camera, using humour, storytelling, and sharp commentary to blend influencer theatrics with Punjabi cultural aesthetics. This provocative, talk-driven style attracted a broad, predominantly male audience and became central to her online identity. When on the night of June 9–10, her life was brutally cut short, it exposed the growing dangers faced by influencers, especially women, who challenge conservative social norms. The alleged mastermind of the murder, Amritpal Singh Mehron, a 30-year-old self-styled Nihang Sikh leader from Mehron village, has claimed her content 'hurt community sentiments' and defamed Sikhism, particularly because she used the surname 'Kaur', Guru Gobind Singh's assigned surname for Sikh women, despite being from a non-Sikh background. (Nihang Sikhs belong to a traditional warrior order, known for their distinctive blue robes, martial skills, and strict adherence to the Khalsa code, often serving as protectors of Sikh heritage and values.) Two other accused Nihang Sikhs—Jaspreet Singh (32) and Nimratjit Singh (21)—were arrested for the murder whereas Amritpal fled to the UAE shortly after the crime. The victim, according to preliminary police findings, was brought from Ludhiana to Bathinda under the false pretext of participating in a paid car promotion event. Jaspreet is alleged to have driven her Hyundai Eon, while Nimratjit reportedly followed in a Scorpio, suggesting coordinated involvement in what authorities now suspect was a premeditated act. Destroy evidence Both Jaspreet and Nimratjit, acting under Amritpal's direction, as per police, strangled Kanchan using a kamar kass (Nihang waistband) in her car. But before she died, they allegedly assaulted Kanchan to force her to reveal the passwords to her mobile phones. Once she disclosed the, Amritpal is reported to have taken possession of both devices and fled the scene. A post-mortem cited asphyxia as the cause of death. There was no immediate evidence of sexual assault; forensic tests were ongoing. Post-murder, the duo moved her body to Adesh Medical University's parking lot in Bathinda to mislead police, returning to remove and burn the kamar kass to destroy evidence. Later, Jaspreet and Nimratjit paid obeisance at a shrine in Talwandi Sabo before their arrest on June 13. Amritpal also wielded significant social media influence: his YouTube channel has 3,51,000 followers, and the Instagram 3,98,000 followers. He used social media to propagate his radical views on Sikh traditions before the accounts were blocked in India on June 14, for a post on death threats and racist content. As a leader of the radical vigilante group Qaum De Rakhe (Protectors of the Community), Amritpal has a history of moral policing, including vandalising statues near the Golden Temple in 2020 and threatening a music producer for posting allegedly obscene content in 2021. In November 2022, the police had registered a case against Amritpal for flaunting weapons on social media and threatening Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring. His political ambitions faltered when he contested the 2022 Punjab Assembly election from Tarn Taran on a Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) ticket and lost his deposit. Also Read | Over 4.45 lakh crimes against women in 2022, one every 51 minutes: NCRB Kanchan's murder has ignited much debate over morality, misogyny and free speech. Critics citing the Charitropakhyan from the Dasam Granth—a secondary Sikh scripture revered by many, including Nihangs, for its spiritual hymns, but also debated for its explicit moral tales—condemn the killing as an act of hypocritical vigilantism. 'The Dasam Granth contains 404 stories, many too explicit to read in family settings. Then how can someone justify a murder on account of 'obscenity' or the use of 'vulgar vocabulary'? This contradicts Sikhism's compassionate teachings', said Iqbal Singh Dhillon, 79, Punjabi scholar, author, and naturopath known for his work on Punjabi culture and is now focused on humanism. Chandigarh-based author and political commentator Aarish Chhabra unravelled the mindset behind such violence: 'The dangerous idea that 'obscenity' resides solely in a woman's body is profoundly problematic. This male-centric narrative imposes a binary expectation on women: to either be revered as pious goddesses or dismissed entirely. It completely excuses the 'male gaze' from accountability'. Chhabra equated Punjab's radicalisation to cases such as the Taliban and the murders of Pakistani social media stars Qandeel Baloch in 2016 and Sana Yousaf in 2024, killed for challenging patriarchal norms. 'Ludhiana and Bathinda are Ground Zero now, with posters glorifying Kanchan's killers as 'protectors of honour'. It reflects a growing local radicalization', he added. Shockingly, the murder drew support from some religious quarters. Akal Takht Jathedar Giani Malkit Singh controversially endorsed the act, calling it a justified response to the alleged disrespect of Sikh values: 'Those who defame religions by spreading vulgarity under false identities must be stopped, as such actions violate our faith's principles,' he said in a statement. Meanwhile, the Punjab State Commission for Women, led by Chairperson Raj Lali Gill pledged to raise the issue with top Constitutional authorities. In the same breath, she urged content creators to avoid 'vulgarity' and vowed to act under IT Act provisions to curb 'problematic' content online. 'Women should restrain themselves from putting content that challenges Punjab culture and traditions', she told media persons, warning that 'one thing is clear: self-styled crusaders cannot take law into their own hands.' #WATCH | Amritsar | On the murder of social media influencer, Kanchan Kumari, Chairperson of Women Commission, Punjab, Raj Lali Gill says, "No one is allowed to take the law into their hands...I am writing to the PM, the Home Minister, the CM and the Governor to appeal to ban… — ANI (@ANI) June 18, 2025 Rajesh Gill, a distinguished sociologist and former president of the Panjab University Teachers' Association, condemned the murder: 'With well-established laws addressing 'obscenity', it is the legal system's prerogative to adjudicate offenses.' She asserted that a kangaroo court or vigilantism has no place in a civilised society. Experts warned that calls for content creators to avoid 'vulgarity' risk reinforcing moral policing of women's expression, while diverting attention from the deeper issues of gender-based violence and systemic impunity. Talking to Frontline, Anita Gurumurthy, a founding member and executive director of IT for Change, a Bangalore-based organisation working on democratising digital spaces, said: 'Misogyny is not a bug in Big Tech-driven social media; it is a built-in feature to profiteer at the expense of equality. It allows patriarchal societies to find new avenues to rein in women's forays into self-discovery. Gendered harms online need to be addressed through deep cultural change, beyond just legal interventions,' said Gurumurthy. Regressive societal norms and community policing of women online, she argued, are as dangerous as state overreach, complicating efforts to regulate digital spaces without curbing free speech. 'Social media offers young women a radical opportunity for free expression, public participation, and forging alliances, making it a vital platform for their voices. And young women like Kanchan Kumari, who use social media to express themselves and gain influence, threaten patriarchal cultural institutions, often triggering a violent backlash,' Gurumurthy said, elaborating that the 'manosphere' online is born of an Internet culture that has normalised toxic masculinity, emboldening men and boys to target assertive women, as seen in Kanchan's murder. 'Her body was discovered in a hospital parking lot. The word 'parking' has since become associated with death threats within the Punjabi influencers' community, particularly for women, warning them to remove 'indecent content' or face a similar fate. Content moderation systems often struggle to effectively address slurs and hate speech in Indian languages, with such 'algospeak' techniques used to evade automated algorithmic monitoring', Gurumurthy added. 'Vulgar' videos The murder and online threats have revealed a broader trend of self-censorship among Punjab's influencer community. Many women influencers have already apologised and withdrawn from social media platforms. In a viral video, Amritpal has warned other content creators as well to stop posting 'vulgar' videos within days or face consequences, specifically targeting another Amritsar-based influencer Deepika Luthra. As a result, Deepika deleted her Instagram account, issued a public apology, and sought police protection. Another influencer, Preet Jatti, with over 5,00,000 Instagram followers, expressed fear for her safety and her child's after receiving threats for her astrology content. Radicalisation in Punjab is often described as a reaction to the 'Hindi-Hindu-Hindustan' narrative. On July 5, 2024, Punjab Shiv Sena leader Sandeep Thapar was critically injured in a sword attack by three Nihangs in Ludhiana, motivated by his provocative social media posts criticising Sikh hardliners and figures such as Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a Sikh separatist leader who led the Khalistan movement, advocating for a separate nation-state until his death during Operation Blue Star in 1984. On October 17, 2024, a petrol bomb was hurled at the home of another Shiv Sena leader, Yogesh Bakshi, in Ludhiana. Religious conversions, particularly to Christianity, are perceived by some as a threat to Sikh identity and Punjab's culture in Punjab. This fear, observers said, is demonstrated in violent incidents of moral policing by radical Nihang factions, who exploit religious rhetoric to justify their actions. A stark example is the October 15, 2021, lynching of Lakhbir Singh, a 35-year-old Dalit farm labourer from the Mazhabi Sikh community. He was brutally killed by Nihangs at a protest site of the Singhu-Kundli border for alleged blasphemy. In December 2021, two more lynchings occurred over suspected sacrilege—one at the Golden Temple in Amritsar, the other at Nizampur Gurudwara in Kapurthala. Despite FIRs, the victims' identities remain unconfirmed, and no convictions have been secured in these 'Beadbi' cases. In recent years, as per political observers, the issue of blasphemy has gained political traction, contributing to the decline of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal), with party leader Sukhbir Singh Badal issuing apologies before Sikh clergy at Akal Takht. Notably, vloggers like Manpreet Singh Virk and Param Sahib Singh have faced significant online bullying from within their community for challenging traditional societal norms. Manpreet, a queer Sikh trans man in the US, has endured transphobic harassment on social media during his early transition for sharing his experiences as a queer, transgender man and for his work related to Sikh identity and culture, particularly within the Punjabi community in the diaspora. Similarly, Param, a queer Sikh fashion designer in Delhi, faced backlash and threats for posting homoerotic illustrations of Sikh men on Instagram. In May this year, his Delhi studio was vandalised—homophobic slurs were spray-painted on the walls, equipment was damaged, and clothing samples were destroyed. In October 2024, a Nihang Sikh group confronted Sehaj Arora of the viral Kulhad Pizza couple, demanding he quit making videos or remove his turban over 'inappropriate' content. Persistent threats later forced the couple to relocate to the UK in January 2025. Following Kanchan Kumari's murder, several women influencers—some using AI to stay anonymous—have highlighted the stark double standards in public outrage. While women face intense scrutiny, male religious figures accused of serious crimes often escape similar backlash. The Akal Takht, for instance, pardoned former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah, previously excommunicated for allegedly exploiting a young girl after a sleazy video went viral in 2017. In another case, a Gurudwara Ragi was arrested in 2024 for sexually assaulting a minor and filming the act. The police action was taken three years later, when videos surfaced online. Influencers also cited Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh, accused of blasphemy and convicted of rape and murder, yet granted repeated paroles since 2017, often around elections. The case of Amritpal Singh, jailed leader of Waris Punjab De, has also drawn attention. In March 2023, media reports exposed him for inappropriate chats and audiotapes with women, involving extramarital affairs and alleged blackmail with obscene videos. The scandal starkly contradicted his image as a Khalistan ideologue and self-styled Sikh preacher. Despite this, he won the 2024 Khadoor Sahib Lok Sabha seat by a commanding margin of 1.93 lakh votes—the highest in Punjab. 'No matter the reason, taking her life was unjustifiable. They could have simply had her social media channel banned', Girija Devi, Kanchan Kumari's grieving mother, told reporters at her Ludhiana residence. Kanchan's final Instagram video captured her compassionate spirit, showing her distributing toffees and slippers to underprivileged children as a heartfelt tribute to the victims of the Pulwama terrorist attack. In another video, she reflected on her content, saying, 'I don't want to post vulgar content, but decent posts don't get views,' highlighting the pressures she faced as a social media celebrity.
India Today
3 days ago
- India Today
Why is the word ‘parking' striking terror in the hearts of Punjab's influencers?
Who would have thought that a word like 'parking' would one day become synonymous with death threats?On June 11, influencer Kanchan Kumari, popularly known as Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, was murdered and her body was dumped in a hospital parking lot in after, Punjab's influencer community, especially women, were hit with death threats, warning them to remove 'indecent content' or be ready for the 'parking lot'.advertisementYAMRAJ IS COMING! A video by influencer Deepika Luthra from Amritsar was suddenly bombarded with threats, mostly in Punjabi. 'Yamraj is coming for you. Dance as much as you want. You have only a few days,' said one such comment. The term 'parking' appeared frequently in these threats. One person commented on her reel, 'Next parking waiting for you.' Simarpreet Kaur Aka Preet Jatti, an influencer from Punjab's Taran Taran, also faced similar threats. For example, a Facebook user, Dulla Gill wrote on one of her posts, 'Parking is not available, dance for two more days.' Another Facebook user called GS Nagra wrote, 'Sit down inside baby. Don't wait. Baba will come to take you in the car. Parking is booked.' Both profiles are currently locked. advertisement EVADING MODERATIONThe repeated use of 'parking' seems to be a tactic to evade detection by Meta's moderation system. Direct threats like 'I will kill you' would be flagged quickly. But seemingly innocuous terms like 'parking' are extremely likely to escape the guardrails of two people — both Nihang Sikhs — have been arrested in connection with Kanchan Kumari's murder, the main accused, Amritpal Singh Mehron, is still who heads a Sikh fundamentalist group called 'Quam de Rakhe', shared a video on social media and said that Kumari had been punished for defaming Sikh traditions — using the surname 'Kaur' while sharing obscene videos. In a video, he said, 'It's not just the city of Bathinda that has parking lots... Other cities have parking too. And the next time... the dead body might never be recovered.'According to The Times of India, the head of the Sri Akal Takht Sahib, an apex Sikh body, seemingly justified Kumari's murder.- Ends(With inputs from Ashish Kumar)Trending Reel
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Time of India
‘Talibanisation of society': After Punjab influencer Kamal Kaur Bhabi's killing, cops go hard on vigilantes; debate rages on what defines vulgarity
Chandigarh: The top brass of Punjab Police has asked the force's officers to deal with acts of moral policing with an iron hand, as a storm rages in the state over social media influencer Kanchan Tiwari aka 'Kamal Kaur Bhabi' being murdered by a self-styled Nihang Sikh, Amritpal Singh Mehron, and his two associates who found her content to be obscene. Acting on these directions, police have arrested a Patiala man for allegedly threatening an Amritsar-based influencer, Deepika Luthra, who has also been provided security along with a second content creator. A police officer said Luthra had received numerous threats and police were investigating each. "People appear to be making threats to make some splash due to the attention the incident [Tiwari murder] has received," said the officer. Punjab special director general of police (law and order) Arpit Shukla advised such self-styled vigilantes to approach the police if they found anything "objectionable". "We have instructed officers to take strict action against those who are issuing threats. As far as vulgarity is concerned, who are they (self-styled Nihang Sikhs who killed Kanchan) to decide... It is a broad subject, and the definition of vulgarity is different at different places. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Memperdagangkan CFD Emas dengan salah satu spread terendah? IC Markets Mendaftar Undo For instance, in the Islamic world, the definition of vulgarity would be different than other places," Shukla said. While Mehron fled to the UAE just seven hours after committing the crime at 2.30am on June 10, Bathinda police – the district where Kanchan's body was found on June 11 – have arrested his two associates and issued look-out circulars against Mehron and another accused, Ranjit Singh. Police have also obtained an open-dated arrest warrant and is set to initiate proceedings for Mehron's deportation. Divided opinions There is a split in society when it comes to the Taliban-style murder of Tiwari, with the biggest defence for Mehron and his associates coming from Giani Malkit Singh, the head granthi of Akal Takht, which is the highest temporal seat of Sikhism. He said Sikh gurus' teachings asked people to keep away from vulgar songs and obscenity. "If someone from another religion changes their name and indulges in such acts to defame the Sikh community, the person should meet the same fate [as Kamal Tiwari]. Nothing wrong has happened," Giani Malkit said. However, many don't agree with his justification. "This is Talibanisation of society and the outcome of a radical mindset. After this, will they also now object to films for which there is a censor board? When some respectable voices speak in favour of such acts, police's task becomes more challenging," said a police officer, who did not wish to be named. Singer Mika Singh put out a video to condemn the act. "Warriors do not attack unarmed women and children," he said. He added the three Nihang Sikhs could have filed a police complaint or counselled the woman. "Why are you killing someone who is dancing and wearing short clothes. There are many other atrocities being committed [in the country], do something for that," Mika said. He also requested chief minister Bhagwant Mann to "rein in such elements". Akali Dal Waris Punjab De legal adviser Imaan Singh Khara, in a video, blamed AAP govt in Punjab for "increasing vulgarity" on social media platforms and for "not acting to check that". Imaan is the son of senior advocate Harpal Singh Khara, counsel for the two associates of Mehron who have been arrested for Kanchan Tiwari's murder. He put out a video on Monday and said the CM Bhagwant Mann-led govt failed to check vulgarity. Citing the Information Technology (IT) Act, Imaan said, "It is a legal offence to spread vulgarity online and in electronic form and govt had powers to ban that. But, like it failed to act against drugs, it failed to ban such social media accounts. AAP govt has been banning those accounts which bat for farmers and Punjab's rights, but has failed to ban the vulgar accounts, be it of men or women. Had it acted earlier, the present circumstances could have been avoided." However, Nihang order Budha Dal chief Baba Balbir Singh reminded the accused of what Khalsa stood for. Responding to a question by the media in a video, the Budha Dal chief pointed out that mobile phones had their pros and cons and there was a need to avoid their misuse. "But one should keep in mind that Khalsa never attacks an unarmed person," he said. 'You get what you watch' Social media influencers argue that the content they put out is driven by viewers who watch such content. A Punjab Police officer too said it was the discretion of viewers. "It all depends on surfing patterns and the content one watches. The viewer has the option to like or dislike a post. Accordingly, there is a pattern of algorithm of the content that appears on one's social media accounts," said the officer. The cyber-crime division of Punjab Police has two wings to monitor and regulate [content] if there is anything incriminating or objectionable. It has a social media analysis centre (SMAC) and a round-the-clock cyber-patrolling unit (CPU), an official said. "If CPU comes across any objectionable or instigating post, like seditious one or the one having the potential to disturb communal harmony, it is flagged to SMAC for blocking. After a three-tier filtering process, the posts or social media handles are identified and a request is sent to the platform concerned to remove those," said the official. The official cited situations where there are borderline posts. "Social media platforms analyse requests on various parameters, including community guidelines and take action accordingly. In case of seditious posts, all requests are accepted. Comparatively, not all posts which are flagged as politically defamatory are removed by the platform concerned. As far as posts with 'vulgar' content are concerned, the definition is wide. Something which may be seen as unlawful here, might not be unlawful in the country from where the social media platform is operating. Something which may be considered obscene here, might not be considered obscene for them," said another official. In May, the cyber-crime division of Punjab police got 555 posts and socials media accounts removed/blocked, which included those identified by the CPU and the complaints it received. These included 222 posts on Facebook, 152 on Instagram, 162 on YouTube and 19 on X. Chandigarh: The top brass of Punjab Police has asked the force's officers to deal with acts of moral policing with an iron hand, as a storm rages in the state over social media influencer Kanchan Tiwari aka 'Kamal Kaur Bhabi' being murdered by a self-styled Nihang Sikh, Amritpal Singh Mehron, and his two associates who found her content to be obscene. Acting on these directions, police have arrested a Patiala man for allegedly threatening an Amritsar-based influencer, Deepika Luthra, who has also been provided security along with a second content creator. A police officer said Luthra had received numerous threats and police were investigating each. "People appear to be making threats to make some splash due to the attention the incident [Tiwari murder] has received," said the officer. Punjab special director general of police (law and order) Arpit Shukla advised such self-styled vigilantes to approach the police if they found anything "objectionable". "We have instructed officers to take strict action against those who are issuing threats. As far as vulgarity is concerned, who are they (self-styled Nihang Sikhs who killed Kanchan) to decide... It is a broad subject, and the definition of vulgarity is different at different places. For instance, in the Islamic world, the definition of vulgarity would be different than other places," Shukla said. While Mehron fled to the UAE just seven hours after committing the crime at 2.30am on June 10, Bathinda police – the district where Kanchan's body was found on June 11 – have arrested his two associates and issued look-out circulars against Mehron and another accused, Ranjit Singh. Police have also obtained an open-dated arrest warrant and is set to initiate proceedings for Mehron's deportation. Divided opinions There is a split in society when it comes to the Taliban-style murder of Tiwari, with the biggest defence for Mehron and his associates coming from Giani Malkit Singh, the head granthi of Akal Takht, which is the highest temporal seat of Sikhism. He said Sikh gurus' teachings asked people to keep away from vulgar songs and obscenity. "If someone from another religion changes their name and indulges in such acts to defame the Sikh community, the person should meet the same fate [as Kamal Tiwari]. Nothing wrong has happened," Giani Malkit said. However, many don't agree with his justification. "This is Talibanisation of society and the outcome of a radical mindset. After this, will they also now object to films for which there is a censor board? When some respectable voices speak in favour of such acts, police's task becomes more challenging," said a police officer, who did not wish to be named. Singer Mika Singh put out a video to condemn the act. "Warriors do not attack unarmed women and children," he said. He added the three Nihang Sikhs could have filed a police complaint or counselled the woman. "Why are you killing someone who is dancing and wearing short clothes. There are many other atrocities being committed [in the country], do something for that," Mika said. He also requested chief minister Bhagwant Mann to "rein in such elements". Akali Dal Waris Punjab De legal adviser Imaan Singh Khara, in a video, blamed AAP govt in Punjab for "increasing vulgarity" on social media platforms and for "not acting to check that". Imaan is the son of senior advocate Harpal Singh Khara, counsel for the two associates of Mehron who have been arrested for Kanchan Tiwari's murder. He put out a video on Monday and said the CM Bhagwant Mann-led govt failed to check vulgarity. Citing the Information Technology (IT) Act, Imaan said, "It is a legal offence to spread vulgarity online and in electronic form and govt had powers to ban that. But, like it failed to act against drugs, it failed to ban such social media accounts. AAP govt has been banning those accounts which bat for farmers and Punjab's rights, but has failed to ban the vulgar accounts, be it of men or women. Had it acted earlier, the present circumstances could have been avoided." However, Nihang order Budha Dal chief Baba Balbir Singh reminded the accused of what Khalsa stood for. Responding to a question by the media in a video, the Budha Dal chief pointed out that mobile phones had their pros and cons and there was a need to avoid their misuse. "But one should keep in mind that Khalsa never attacks an unarmed person," he said. 'You get what you watch' Social media influencers argue that the content they put out is driven by viewers who watch such content. A Punjab Police officer too said it was the discretion of viewers. "It all depends on surfing patterns and the content one watches. The viewer has the option to like or dislike a post. Accordingly, there is a pattern of algorithm of the content that appears on one's social media accounts," said the officer. The cyber-crime division of Punjab Police has two wings to monitor and regulate [content] if there is anything incriminating or objectionable. It has a social media analysis centre (SMAC) and a round-the-clock cyber-patrolling unit (CPU), an official said. "If CPU comes across any objectionable or instigating post, like seditious one or the one having the potential to disturb communal harmony, it is flagged to SMAC for blocking. After a three-tier filtering process, the posts or social media handles are identified and a request is sent to the platform concerned to remove those," said the official. The official cited situations where there are borderline posts. "Social media platforms analyse requests on various parameters, including community guidelines and take action accordingly. In case of seditious posts, all requests are accepted. Comparatively, not all posts which are flagged as politically defamatory are removed by the platform concerned. As far as posts with 'vulgar' content are concerned, the definition is wide. Something which may be seen as unlawful here, might not be unlawful in the country from where the social media platform is operating. Something which may be considered obscene here, might not be considered obscene for them," said another official. In May, the cyber-crime division of Punjab police got 555 posts and socials media accounts removed/blocked, which included those identified by the CPU and the complaints it received. These included 222 posts on Facebook, 152 on Instagram, 162 on YouTube and 19 on X.
Time of India
17-06-2025
- Time of India
‘Talibanisation of society': Punjab Police go hard on vigilantes as influencer Kanchan Tiwari's murder over moral policing spills over
Chandigarh: The top brass of Punjab Police has asked the force's officers to deal with acts of moral policing with an iron hand, as a storm rages in the state over social media influencer Kanchan Tiwari aka 'Kamal Kaur Bhabi' being murdered by a self-styled Nihang Sikh, Amritpal Singh Mehron, and his two associates who found her content to be obscene. Acting on these directions, police have arrested a Patiala man for allegedly threatening an Amritsar-based influencer, Deepika Luthra, who has also been provided security along with a second content creator. A police officer said Luthra had received numerous threats and police were investigating each. "People appear to be making threats to make some splash due to the attention the incident [Tiwari murder] has received," said the officer. Punjab special director general of police (law and order) Arpit Shukla advised such self-styled vigilantes to approach the police if they found anything "objectionable". "We have instructed officers to take strict action against those who are issuing threats. As far as vulgarity is concerned, who are they (self-styled Nihang Sikhs who killed Kanchan) to decide... It is a broad subject, and the definition of vulgarity is different at different places. For instance, in the Islamic world, the definition of vulgarity would be different than other places," Shukla said. While Mehron fled to the UAE just seven hours after committing the crime at 2.30am on June 10, Bathinda police – the district where Kanchan's body was found on June 11 – have arrested his two associates and issued look-out circulars against Mehron and another accused, Ranjit Singh. Police have also obtained an open-dated arrest warrant and is set to initiate proceedings for Mehron's deportation. Divided opinions There is a split in society when it comes to the Taliban-style murder of Tiwari, with the biggest defence for Mehron and his associates coming from Giani Malkit Singh, the head granthi of Akal Takht, which is the highest temporal seat of Sikhism. He said Sikh gurus' teachings asked people to keep away from vulgar songs and obscenity. "If someone from another religion changes their name and indulges in such acts to defame the Sikh community, the person should meet the same fate [as Kamal Tiwari]. Nothing wrong has happened," Giani Malkit said. However, many don't agree with his justification. "This is Talibanisation of society and the outcome of a radical mindset. After this, will they also now object to films for which there is a censor board? When some respectable voices speak in favour of such acts, police's task becomes more challenging," said a police officer, who did not wish to be named. Singer Mika Singh put out a video to condemn the act. "Warriors do not attack unarmed women and children," he said. He added the three Nihang Sikhs could have filed a police complaint or counselled the woman. "Why are you killing someone who is dancing and wearing short clothes. There are many other atrocities being committed [in the country], do something for that," Mika said. He also requested chief minister Bhagwant Mann to "rein in such elements". Akali Dal Waris Punjab De legal adviser Imaan Singh Khara, in a video, blamed AAP govt in Punjab for "increasing vulgarity" on social media platforms and for "not acting to check that". Imaan is the son of senior advocate Harpal Singh Khara, counsel for the two associates of Mehron who have been arrested for Kanchan Tiwari's murder. He put out a video on Monday and said the CM Bhagwant Mann-led govt failed to check vulgarity. Citing the Information Technology (IT) Act, Imaan said, "It is a legal offence to spread vulgarity online and in electronic form and govt had powers to ban that. But, like it failed to act against drugs, it failed to ban such social media accounts. AAP govt has been banning those accounts which bat for farmers and Punjab's rights, but has failed to ban the vulgar accounts, be it of men or women. Had it acted earlier, the present circumstances could have been avoided." However, Nihang order Budha Dal chief Baba Balbir Singh reminded the accused of what Khalsa stood for. Responding to a question by the media in a video, the Budha Dal chief pointed out that mobile phones had their pros and cons and there was a need to avoid their misuse. "But one should keep in mind that Khalsa never attacks an unarmed person," he said. 'You get what you watch' Social media influencers argue that the content they put out is driven by viewers who watch such content. A Punjab Police officer too said it was the discretion of viewers. "It all depends on surfing patterns and the content one watches. The viewer has the option to like or dislike a post. Accordingly, there is a pattern of algorithm of the content that appears on one's social media accounts," said the officer. The cyber-crime division of Punjab Police has two wings to monitor and regulate [content] if there is anything incriminating or objectionable. It has a social media analysis centre (SMAC) and a round-the-clock cyber-patrolling unit (CPU), an official said. "If CPU comes across any objectionable or instigating post, like seditious one or the one having the potential to disturb communal harmony, it is flagged to SMAC for blocking. After a three-tier filtering process, the posts or social media handles are identified and a request is sent to the platform concerned to remove those," said the official. The official cited situations where there are borderline posts. "Social media platforms analyse requests on various parameters, including community guidelines and take action accordingly. In case of seditious posts, all requests are accepted. Comparatively, not all posts which are flagged as politically defamatory are removed by the platform concerned. As far as posts with 'vulgar' content are concerned, the definition is wide. Something which may be seen as unlawful here, might not be unlawful in the country from where the social media platform is operating. Something which may be considered obscene here, might not be considered obscene for them," said another official. In May, the cyber-crime division of Punjab police got 555 posts and socials media accounts removed/blocked, which included those identified by the CPU and the complaints it received. These included 222 posts on Facebook, 152 on Instagram, 162 on YouTube and 19 on X.
