Latest news with #Mehron
The Wire
14-07-2025
- Politics
- The Wire
The Rise of Sikh Orthodoxy and its Corrosive Influence on General Freedom of Thought in Punjab
Rajiv Thind The theocratic and political construction of Sikh history along with the rigid definition of Punjab's identity in narrowly Sikh and Punjabi-speaking terms, excludes and silences the region's most vulnerable communities. The Bathinda police briefing the media about the details of the murder of social media influencer Kamal Kaur alias Kanchan Tiwari. Photo: Videograb from In the Indian state of Punjab, a group of self-proclaimed defenders of the Sikh faith murdered social media content creator Kanchan Kumari (also known as Kamal Kaur) for posting videos they deemed vulgar and immoral. Kumari was reportedly strangled and left in a locked car. One of the accused, Amritpal Singh Mehron, released a video in which he proudly took responsibility for the killing, describing it as an act of 'moral purification' of Punjab. In the same video, he issued threats against others, including Deepika Luthra, who has since come forward expressing fear for her life. Prior to her death, Kumari had also received threats from a Canada-based Sikh gangster. In the aftermath, a Sikh woman lawyer publicly condemned Kumari, invoking the phrase Jaisi karni, vaisi bharni ('you get what you deserve'). In her videos, Kumari often spoke about sex and sexual acts. Mehron has since fled overseas and has been lionised on several Punjabi social media platforms. A YouTube channel conducted a sympathetic interview with him. Comments under the video are overwhelmingly supportive, with many praising the act and some offering prayers for the protection of Mehron and his accomplices. Many of the young women posting risqué content online come from marginalised socio-economic backgrounds and rely on this work for survival, with few alternative sources of income to support themselves and their families. While some of their content may veer into explicit territory – a grey area that social media platforms readily exploit – the regulation of such material is the responsibility of the state, not of vigilantes and criminals claiming to uphold religious or moral values. Mehron's hateful video, and the widespread support it has received, reveal a chilling rationalisation of murder. He and his supporters portray Kumari as an outsider – a non-Punjabi and a non-Sikh – accused of corrupting the cultural and religious purity of Punjab. Before assessing this bigoted rhetoric, it's important to place this tragedy within the broader context – examining how Sikh identity, extremism, and cultural policing are represented, and what is omitted from dominant narratives. The Western gaze and selective narratives In Western media and academic discourse, religious extremism in India is almost exclusively viewed through the lens of Hindutva – the majoritarian Hindu nationalist movement. Within this framework, all religious minorities – Muslims, Christians, and Sikhs – are cast primarily as victims of Hindu dominance. This narrative is further reinforced by segments of the Sikh diaspora in countries such as Canada, the UK and the US. Respected Sikh professionals and activists publish articles in major outlets like Time Magazine, with headlines such as ' Why India Is Targeting Sikhs at Home and Around the World, ' appealing to Western liberal ideals of minority rights and protection of the persecuted. Yet these voices remain conspicuously silent about violence perpetrated by Sikh extremists – both historical and ongoing – against dissenters and excluded communities. From the assassination of liberal Sikh journalist Tara Singh Hayer in 1998 in Canada (for opposing Khalistani terrorism), to murderous violence against Dalit Sikhs in Vienna in 2009 for challenging dominant-caste Sikh orthodoxy, a pattern emerges: internal critique of essentialist Sikh identity is ignored or suppressed brutally. Personal experience As I have written elsewhere, I grew up in Punjab during the turbulent 1980s and 90s. As per reports, at the height of militancy, state agents committed atrocities, but continued Sikh militant violence has also been devastating. I noticed and experienced the corrosive influence of Sikh orthodoxy on general freedom of thought and expression in Punjab. My issue is not with Sikhism itself – indeed, half my family comes from a Sikh background, and some of my dearest friends have been Sikhs. I hold deep respect for Guru Nanak's humane philosophy and historical Sikhism's inclusive ethos and egalitarianism. Instead, my concern lies with the rise of self-important Sikh orthodoxy (as analysed by Harjot Oberoi) and politicised Sikhism of the dominant-caste groups that glorify violence to project their power. Historical amnesia The dream of a Khalistani state is a dominant-caste fantasy of restoring a 'pure' Sikh kingdom. Yet, as the late Khushwant Singh – an atheist but culturally Sikh scholar and writer – reminds us, the Sikh aristocracy of the past was far from devout. The chiefs of Sikh misls (or militias) were more feudal than spiritual; they could be corrupt, their personal habits indulgent; one group, 'the Bhangis' were named after their 'founder's addiction to bhang (hashish)…' he writes in his monumental The Sikhs. Singh writes: 'As soon as the Sikhs settled down as landowners, property rights became hereditary and the disparity in wealth introduced an extraneous element in the choice of leadership.' When the Sikh confederacies eventually unified under Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the early 19th century, his army and cabinet included large numbers of Muslims and Hindus. Punjab was – and remains – ethnically and religiously diverse. Ironically, modern Sikh attempts to purify Punjab on linguistic and religious lines have reduced it to a small state, with other regions going to the newly organised states like Haryana. The theocratic and political construction of Sikh history along with the rigid definition of Punjab's identity in narrowly Sikh and Punjabi-speaking terms, excludes and silences the region's most vulnerable communities. To cite one example, as suppressed Punjabi Dalits turn to Christianity for dignity, Sikh religious bodies express alarm. In this climate of hostility and control, a Christian pastor can be brazenly shot dead in public. Modern Sikh extremism and its soft targets An early instance of Sikh moral policing was the 1988 assassination of Amar Singh Chamkila, a wildly popular Dalit singer and musician, targeted for performing songs deemed vulgar. His murder set a precedent. In the years that followed, those punished for transgressing Sikh religious norms or Punjabi cultural values were almost always from marginalised socio-economic backgrounds. The 2024 biopic on Chamkila depicts how he was repeatedly hauled before Sikh religious courts to apologise. In one poignant scene, Chamkila quietly questions why he alone is being 'disciplined,' while other – usually upper-caste – musicians perform similar songs without repercussions. In contemporary Punjab and the Sikh diaspora in the West, Khalistani sympathisers often ignore pressing local issues – such as the systemic oppression of Dalits (who make up 32% of Punjab's population and are mostly landless), the struggles of women and the LGBTQ groups in a hyper-masculine culture, as well as the exploitation of migrant labourers from poor Hindi-speaking states. Meanwhile, Punjab has witnessed multiple incidents of lynching for alleged acts of blasphemy against the Sikh religion. The victims are almost always from poor, marginal backgrounds and receive little attention from mainstream media. One such killing drew widespread notice because it occurred at the holiest Sikh site, the Golden Temple. In another, a Dalit labourer was brutally hacked to death with swords over similar accusations. Migrant workers have been particularly vulnerable. These workers had arrived in Punjab during the agricultural boom of the 1970s and 1980s, many settling permanently and raising families. During the peak of Sikh militancy in the 1980s, these poor labourers – often Hindu, non-Punjabi, and from marginalised castes – could be killed to assert Sikh dominance. For example, in May 1990, over a dozen migrants were shot dead. A convenient morality What stands out in the current wave of moral policing is its selective nature. Young women like Kumari and Luthra – poor, vulnerable, Hindu, and lacking influential connections – are publicly threatened or even killed. In contrast, no such outrage is directed at wealthy or well-connected Punjabi celebrities who produce music and videos that glorify violence, upper-caste supremacy, sexism, or are overtly sexual. A few social media users have questioned why the self-appointed moral guardians remain silent about figures like Sunny Leone (born Karenjit Kaur Vohra), a Bollywood celebrity and former porn star of Sikh background. Leone's entry into Bollywood around 2012 arguably accelerated the mainstreaming and commercialisation of sexually explicit content in the entertainment industry, and influenced aspiring Indian female performers on social media platforms. Yet she remains largely shielded from belligerent critics because of wealth, influential connections, and a privileged caste status. In stark contrast, Mehron's video repeatedly dehumanises the murdered Kanchan Kumari, mocking her outsider and marginal status, using ethnic slurs like ' Bhaiya Rani [Bhaiya Princess] of UP and Bihar'. Bhayia is a derogatory term in Punjab commonly used to belittle Hindi-speaking migrant labourers, many of whom belong to marginalised Hindu castes or are socially disadvantaged. Kumari's surname was Tiwari, an upper class surname, and she ' grew up in Ludhiana's Lakshman Nagar, a congested neighbourhood of migrant workers from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar." By targeting convenient scapegoats, these moral policemen and their supporters are not defending the Sikh faith. Rather, they are exploiting religious sentiment for personal notoriety, commercial gain, political clout, and online attention. Mehron himself was a minor internet celebrity. This selective vigilantism seeks to consolidate power by controlling the bodies, voices, and identities of those least able to resist – individuals whose murder is unlikely to spark widespread outrage, attract global media scrutiny, or result in serious consequences for the perpetrators. Rajiv Thind holds a PhD in English from the University of Queensland. He is a writer, literary critic, and currently a visiting academic at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Hindustan Times
14-07-2025
- Hindustan Times
Punjab: Mehron's provisional arrest in UAE likely soon, say police officials
Religious vigilante Amritpal Singh Mehron, wanted in the murder of digital content creator Kanchan Kumari in Bathinda and currently hiding in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), is likely to be subjected to a provisional arrest soon with the assistance of Interpol, police officials have said. Amritpal Singh Mehron has been hiding in the UAE since he allegedly murdered a social media influencer, Kanchan Kumari Official sources said Interpol, an international organisation which facilitates police cooperation among its 196 member countries, is inching towards executing the state police's request to detain Mehron in the Gulf country. Responding to queries of HT, the Interpol press office stated early this month that it could not share any input on its investigation as only the member country concerned could make any comment. Meanwhile, the sources, wishing not to be named, confirmed that the Bureau of Investigation (BoI) is working closely with the home ministry to extradite Mehron from the UAE. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said on Sunday that the district police had filed a pro forma for a 'blue notice' on June 20 to track and extradite Mehron back to Punjab to face a trial in the murder of Kanchan. 'We are working on his extradition and sending the required information and details sought by the Interpol. But details cannot be made public at this stage,' she added. The SSP clarified that they have not been updated yet whether Interpol has issued a notice against Mehron. Officials said the location of Mehron in the UAE is still unclear and Interpol has a crucial role in tracing and putting him under detention. 'Extradition is a complex legal exercise and the state and central authorities are engaged in executing the detention of Mehron on foreign soil,' said the senior police official. As per the police, Kanchan Kumari, alias Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, of Ludhiana was strangulated by Mehron and his two Nihang accomplices, stating that the murder was motivated by Kanchan's controversial social media posts, which allegedly offended the Sikh community. The murder took place on the night of June 9-10 when Mehron, along with Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjit Singh, allegedly strangled Kanchan in her car. They later dumped her body in the parking lot of Adesh Medical College and Hospital in Bhucho, Bathinda. The victim's body was discovered on the evening of June 11, and the police termed the crime as unauthorised moral policing. Mehron fled to Amritsar shortly after the murder, boarding an international flight to the UAE on the morning of June 10. Jaspreet and Nimratjit are in judicial custody, whereas the three accused, including Mehron, are still at large. SSP Kondal said that immediately after the murder, Mehron was taken from Bathinda to the international airport in Amritsar by Ranjit Singh of Taran Tarn and an unidentified person. 'Our teams will resume raids to nab Ranjit and identify another accused. A lookout circular (LoC) has already been issued against Ranjit to ensure he does not flee the country,' said the SSP.
The Diplomat
27-06-2025
- The Diplomat
Moral Vigilantism Behind Murder of Social Media Influencer in India's Punjab
As shocking as the murder is its justification, as well as the deafening silence of the political class and civil society. On June 10, 30-year-old social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, better known as Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, was murdered in the northern Indian state of Punjab for posting 'obscene and vulgar content.' As distressing as the murder itself is the deafening silence of the political class as well as civil society in response to the killing. It underscores how widespread the problems of misogyny and moral vigilantism are in society. Days after the murder, the mastermind and alleged murderer, Amritpal Singh Mehron, posted a 15-minute video on social media, justifying the killing. He issued a stern warning to other influencers who are 'corrupting young minds' to mend their ways. Mehron is a 'Nihang' Sikh, a sect whose members are regarded as religious warriors of the Sikh religion. Kanchan is not a Sikh but took on the Sikh honorific 'Kaur' as part of her social media brand name. She was a resident of Lakshman Nagar, a colony of migrants from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh in Ludhiana, and had created an online image of herself as a promiscuous Punjabi woman. The 'Bhabhi' suffix in her social media handle, meaning sister-in-law, alludes to the popular notion of a sexually attractive sister–in- law. Kanchan, in fact, was not married. Scrolling through her content on Instagram, where she had nearly half a million followers, it is apparent that her videos with their sexual overtones were aimed at garnering eyeballs. Her provocative content catered to a largely male audience and went viral at times, getting over a million views. She had 239,000 subscribers on YouTube and 770,000 followers on Facebook. Kanchan Kumari's decomposed body was found on the backseat of her car in Bhatinda two days after her murder, when local residents alerted cops about a foul stench. She had been strangled and the car was abandoned in the parking lot of a university. According to the police, Kanchan had been receiving threats warning her to clean her content and to drop the title 'Kaur,' which was perceived as an insult to the followers of Sikhism. Soon after the murder, Mehron escaped to the UAE. Two of his accomplices have been arrested. A look-out notice has been issued for Mehron. A self-styled vigilante out to purge Punjabi society of those he perceives as defiling the Sikh religion, Mehron also ran a vigilante organization called 'Kaum de Rakhe' (Saviors of the Community). In addition to Kanchan, Mehron is said to have threatened several other influencers as well. The current social media boom has led to a flood of influencers in India's small towns. They aim to gain a considerable social media following to monetize it as a career, often leading to collaborations with small business promotions. With vigilantes terrorizing them, several influencers have submitted public apologies and sought police protection. What is shocking is the amount of support that vigilantes like Mehron have been receiving. Support for Mehron was trending online soon after the murder, with several lauding his 'brave act' of defending the faith from those who pollute the youth. Kanchan's murder has even received support from the Sikh clergy. Giani Malkit Singh, the head granthi (priest) of the Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhism, justified the murder. 'Nothing wrong has happened,' he told reporters, adding that 'such people [like Kanchan], who are from other religions, change their name, create a false identity to defame the Sikh community, indulge in such acts… this kind of treatment should be meted out to them.' Pramod Kumar, a professor at the Institute for Development and Communication (IDC) in Chandigarh, told The Diplomat that Kanchan's murder is 'an instance of religious fundamentalism combined with patriarchy and defiance of the rule of law in the state.' In a patriarchal society, he pointed out, it is a patriarchal code of religion that decides what is vulgar and obscene. 'These custodians of morality will project the woman victim as the perpetrator who instigated the crime itself,' he said. Political parties across the board in Punjab have maintained a conspicuous silence. With politics and religion inextricably intertwined in Punjab, the political class has shied away from taking a stand and condemning the moral vigilantism. Pam Rajput, professor at the Centre for Women's Studies and Development at Panjab University, told this correspondent that there are laws in the country to determine what is obscene, and no individual can become the authority to judge what is obscene and deserves punishment. 'Patriarchy and misogyny are at play. Women need to step up and speak out. Rational voices must come to the fore,' said Rajput. A few lone voices have condemned the murder. Popular Punjabi and Bollywood singer Mika urged Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to take immediate action against those responsible for the murder, adding that such acts bring shame to the Sikh community. He lashed out at those who attack women in the name of culture and pointed out that they are portraying the murder as an act of bravery. Others like former granthi Baba Buta Singh have been fearlessly speaking out against the Talibanization of society. A vocal critic of religious extremism, Singh has been posting videos condemning the murder and radical extremists like Mehron. He has urged young influencers to contact him if they have been threatened and need help. Speaking to The Print, Singh ascribed the growth of radical elements in Punjab, which fan hate and violence, to the Khalistani separatist movement and its sympathizers. Kanchan's murder has sparked debates around free speech on social media, with many young influencers arguing that they are catering to the audience's demands. It has also led to discussions on what constitutes obscenity in an age of viral reels and social media. In all likelihood, Kanchan's much-tattooed, voluptuous figure outraged not just moral vigilantes but the self-righteous mentality of the middle class. Her murder by self-appointed custodians of morality was intended to be more than a punishment; it was to serve as a lethal lesson for others like her.
Hindustan Times
26-06-2025
- Hindustan Times
Punjab influencer's murder: Two weeks on, whereabouts of 2 accused still unknown
(Blurb) Awaiting Interpol's notice for key accused Mehron's arrest and deportation from UAE: Bathinda SSP Key accused Amritpal Singh Mehron is said to have fled to UAE on June 10 Two weeks after the decomposed body of Ludhiana-based woman social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, alias Kamal Kaur Bhabhi, was found in Bathinda, the whereabouts of the two accused related to the case are still not known to the police. Investigators said on Wednesday that the main accused and conspirator of the alleged targeted killing, Amritpal Singh Mehron, a religious vigilante, fled the country on June 10 without wearing his Nihang attire. The Bathinda police have named five persons in the killing and assisting Mehron in fleeing the country after the crime. Investigators said that of the five accused, four were Nihangs but the identity of the fifth accused is still a mystery. The police have arrested Mehron's aides Jaspreet Singh and Nimratjit Singh, both Nihangs, while Mehron remains in hiding in the UAE. Another accused, Ranjit Singh, also a Nihang, from Tarn Taran, is also absconding, while the police is still clueless about his accomplice. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Amneet Kondal said a probe confirmed that Mehron was not accompanied by Ranjit when the former flew out of the country. 'Travel data says that Mehron had a travel visa for the UAE and he boarded the flight from Amritsar, where he was not wearing his traditional Nihang attire. A look-out circular (LoC) was issued against Ranjit and there is no input indicating that he has left India. Our teams are raiding different places to nab Ranjit,' she said. The SSP said Jaspreet and Nimratjit did not divulge anything about the fifth accomplice. 'Ranjit and the unidentified person reached Bathinda to pick up Mehron and drop him at the Amritsar airport to board the flight at 9.15 am on June 10. Ranjit's arrest would lead us to know the fifth accused and coordinated efforts are being made to arrest them,' added the SSP. Kondal said the district police initiated efforts to extradite Mehron from the UAE on June 20 when a letter was sent to the Bureau of Investigation (BoI) of Punjab Police (HT was the first to report).'The communication was part of the protocol to reach out to Interpol for Mehron's extradition. We have yet to get confirmation if the Interpol has published a notice to locate and detain the accused for deportation to face trial in the murder case,' added the SSP. Kanchan's murder took place on the night of June 9-10 when Mehron, along with associates Jaspreet and Nimratjit, allegedly strangled Kanchan in her car. They later dumped her decomposing body in the parking lot of Adesh Medical College and Hospital in Bhucho, Bathinda. The body was recovered on June 11 evening. Police say the murder was motivated by Kanchan's controversial social media posts, which allegedly offended the Sikh community.
The Print
21-06-2025
- The Print
Accused in Kamal Kaur murder, Amritpal Mehron ran riot for years in name of ‘cleaning up' Punjab
Bathinda police arrested two of Mehron's accomplices and are looking for a third, Ranjit Singh, whose role in the murder surfaced following interrogations. Mehron, who led a social-religious vigilante organisation called Kaum de Rakhe (Saviors of the Community), escaped to the UAE last week, not long after Kanchan's body was found in her car in Bathinda, leaving behind a trail of violence, blackmail and threats. Chandigarh: For five years, Amritpal Singh Mehron, a 30-year-old bike mechanic, cast himself as a religious vigilante on a mission to clean up Punjab; until he was named one of the key accused in the killing of Punjabi social media influencer Kanchan Kumari, also known as Kamal Kaur Bhabi, last week. In a video message posted by Mehron after Kanchan Kumari's killing, he seemed to justify the act, saying she had been 'warned' several times but she continued to post 'immoral and vulgar content' on social media. He added that her content defamed Sikh values and mocked her use of the surname 'Kaur'. He also warned others creating 'objectionable content' to refrain from such activities. 'So what if she was killed? It's a good thing that she was. Actually, it happened late. She should've been killed off five to seven years ago,' Mehron said in a video statement where he is dressed in the traditional attire of the Nihang sect. 'I don't care if I'm right or wrong. I have to save a generation of Punjabis,' Mehron says in the video. 'If I see another such video made on Punjab's land… then see.' However, he did not take responsibility for the killing. In an interview with a YouTube channel, while on the run this week, Mehron said he had not taken responsibility for the murder and the killing remained a matter of investigation. He, however, reiterated that he would continue to 'clean up' Punjab. 'I will do this clean-up before I am arrested. If I have to stay in jail for five-six years, I will make it worth it,' he said. Also Read: Fear grips Punjab influencers after extremists kill Kamal Kaur. 'Dark days of 1984' Who is Amritpal Singh Mehron The question that many are now asking is: Who is Amritpal Singh Mehron? His father, Baljinder Singh, a Muslim who converted to Sikhism, told mediapersons they were a poor family living in Mehron village. He said he had worked as a daily wager for years before becoming a construction contractor. Mehron is the youngest of five children. His three elder sisters are married. 'I travel almost 20 km every day for work. We have worked hard to earn a living. We don't touch a penny of the money that Amritpal has,' said Mehron's father. Although Mehron refers to himself as 'illiterate' in his social media videos, he completed his class XII education from DM College, Moga, and has a diploma in diesel mechanics from ITI, Moga. He considered slain militant Jarnail Singh Bhindrawale as his idol and some years ago, he donned the attire and lifestyle of a Nihang Sikh, carrying traditional weapons. Although he projected himself as a good Samaritan out to clean up Punjab society, some say he's just a self-styled vigilante looking to grab attention and social media eyeballs. Over the past four years, he fashioned himself as a religious radical and built a massive social media following along the way with violent threats to supposedly protect social and Sikh values. His targets included influencers, suspected quacks and a dera head, whom he accused of moral, religious or sexual transgressions. He often recorded his encounters with them and shared them on his now-closed social media accounts. Mehron operated two Instagram accounts with 351,000 and 398,000 followers, respectively, and regularly posted videos condemning what he calls 'obscene' content. Police shut down his social media accounts last week. He had such a large following that in April this year, singer Sharan Sidhu even released a musical video titled 'Mehron' featuring Mehron's life and success. Mehron is seen in the video driving a jeep, wielding automatic weapons. Mehron was often moving around in SUVs and had his own security guards. His success led him to even try his hand at politics about three years ago. In March 2022, he contested the Punjab assembly polls from Tarn Taran seat as a candidate of the Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) headed by Simranjit Singh Mann. However, he lost the election after securing just a little over 6,000 votes. Still, his vigilante activities continued, with help through crowdfunding. A divided community The Sikh community appears to be divided on Mehron. Some radical Sikh bodies have come out in support of him. Independent MP from Faridkot, Sarabjeet Singh, visited Mehron's house to show solidarity with his family. The family of jailed radical Khadoor Sahib MP Amritpal Singh met Mehron's father last week to extend help. The head granthi of the Golden Temple, Malkiat Singh, also supported Mehron's actions. However, many other radical Sikhs, including prominent Nihangs, denounced Mehron's action. Nihang leader Harjeet Singh Rasulpur criticised Mehron for blackmailing people and his alleged role in the murder of Kanchan Kumari. 'If anyone is feeling threatened by Mehron, they are free to approach me and I will stand by them. It is a shame that Mehron is donning the dress of a Nihang and using it to issue threats and kill. Why are Mehron and his men even watching this kind of content? If somebody wants to show their own character through their social media posts, what is Mehron's business in it?' he said. Another Sikh leader, Giani Buta Singh, alleged that Mehron and his men forced Kanchan Kumari to share her phone's passwords and took away her phone before killing her. He alleged that her phone held 'secrets' which could have harmed Mehron. Also Read: Pakistani gangster voices 'support' for Kamal Kaur Bhabhi murder accused, 'because I too am Punjabi' Mehron's rap sheet Mehron's transformation into a religious vigilante wasn't sudden. He first shot into the limelight in January 2020 for vandalising the statues depicting folk dances of Punjab on the Heritage Street leading to the Golden Temple. The statues had been built by the Punjab tourism department to showcase the state's culture among tourists visiting the Golden Temple. Mehron's group, however, claimed that a show of dance and entertainment on the way to the temple dishonoured the Sikh religion. He, along with nine other associates, was arrested. The then chief minister, Captain Amarinder Singh, asked the state police to review the stringent sections imposed against the nine accused after Sikh groups came out in support of Mehron and his associates. Mehron and the others were discharged in the case in 2023. In September 2021, Mehron was booked on the complaint of a male influencer who goes by the Instagram handle @producerdxx, whom Mehron had allegedly beaten up at his home in Dhanaula in Barnala. Mehron claimed that the influencer was spreading 'vulgarity and immorality' through his videos. The influencer was saved by villagers who rushed to support him against Mehron. Producer Dxx alleged that he was first threatened by Mehron in 2019 and he paid him Rs 70,000. 'Now he was demanding Rs 2 lakh and I refused to pay him,' said Producer Dxx after Mehron came to beat him up. He added that Mehron snatched his phone and also Rs 17,000 from his house. Mehron, who was arrested and later let off on bail, denied charges of blackmail but admitted he had beaten up the producer. The next year, he claimed to have issued a warning to comedian Bharti Singh, who, according to him, had insulted the Sikh religion by making fun of the moustache and beard kept by Sikh men. Bharti issued a video message apologising for what she had said, adding that she had no intention of hurting religious sentiments. Mehron put out her apology on his social media handles, projecting it as his achievement. Gurinder Singh Dhillon, a former Punjab Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), said vigilantism must be curbed. 'It is not as simple as Mehron getting angry about Kanchan Kumari's videos. It is part of a larger setup. When I was ADGP law and order, I had arrested such persons indulging in criminal activities in the name of religious vigilantism,' said Dhillon. 'There is no doubt that some influencers are spreading nudity and vulgarity. Such persons need to be condemned. They need to be called out and acted against according to the law under the IT Act. But at the same time, people like Mehron were using social media to hand out death threats and openly call for violence. Such threats, leading to taking the law into their own hands, also need to be curbed. What Mehron did is more condemnable,' he added. However, not all cases involving Mehron involved allegations of moral policing. After setting up Kaum de Rakhe in 2020, Mehron and his group shared a mobile number on social media and offered to help people 24/7. To begin with, his group claimed it was helping mediate family disputes at the request of local villagers. They claimed they stopped two brothers from dividing their house, and rescued a 13-year-old girl from her paternal uncle and aunt, who allegedly tortured her. They travelled to Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan, where they said they rescued an old man forced to work as a bonded labourer. They also claimed to have helped a family rebuild their house following a fire. In another case, Mehron claimed to have rescued an old woman from her sons, who allegedly beat her up. He also complained to the police to take action against a young man seen in a viral video allegedly touching a girl child inappropriately in the village of Bhinder Kalan in Moga. But soon the group also turned to religious vigilantism. In August 2021, Mehron and his associates broke wall tiles with pictures of Hindu gods and Sikh gurus in a commercial building in Sector 22, Chandigarh. The tiles had been put to deter passersby from urinating against the wall. In a separate incident, Mehron and his group 'raided' a gurdwara in a town in Rajasthan, removing Sikh religious texts they claimed were being desecrated. All these activities were recorded and shared on Mehron's social media handles. As his following increased, he started seeking donations, claiming the funds would be used to build houses for the poor and assist caregivers of children with special needs. In one video, he documented a visit to poor Sikh families in Madhya Pradesh, saying he was assessing their living conditions. Mehron also shared videos of his group indulging in violence, claiming to deliver instant punishment. For instance, he and his group claimed to have 'taught a lesson' to a young man whom they alleged was blackmailing a girl into having a relationship with him. They released a video of them beating up the man. His group also claimed to have caught a person they said generated fake online IDs and indulged in inappropriate activities with women. In one post, he claimed that his men had beaten up a Ludhiana-based Shiv Sena leader for speaking against Bhindranwale. In another video, he claimed to have beaten up a resident of Uttarakhand who was faking Mehron's identity on social media. Apart from the first case of vandalism of statues in Amritsar, Mehron's violent activities and open threats were ignored by Punjab police. An emboldened Mehron then graduated from traditional weapons to flaunting automatic weapons. However, it is not known if they were licensed. In one video, he claimed he was facing cases under the Arms Act for flaunting weapons openly. In many cases, though Mehron issued threats of violence, he took no physical action and his actions seemed aimed at drawing attention. On one occasion, he claimed to have travelled to Balram Nagar in Uttarakhand to confront the organisers of a young woman's dance performance in the presence of the Guru Granth Sahib on the occasion of Janmashtami. He claimed he wanted to'teach the organisers a lesson', but on his return, he said he let them off after they apologised. In another instance, in February 2022, Mehron and his men went to Delhi claiming to support the family of a 20-year-old victim who was allegedly abducted, gangraped and later paraded on the streets. After meeting the family, they wrote on the wall of the victim's house in Punjabi: 'The Sikh community is alive. It will take revenge in this case'. Mehron was booked for issuing a threat, but on social media, he projected his visit to the Delhi police station as an achievement. He never went on to do anything to the criminals as promised to the victim's family. Last year, Mehron accused Baba Baljinder Singh, head of the Thaah Charan Ghat gurdwara, of allegedly sexually exploiting women followers. He released a video showing his interrogation of the alleged victim and the baba about his alleged sexual abuse. Baljinder Singh was subsequently booked for rape and arrested. However, the victim turned against Mehron and alleged he had pressured her to falsely implicate Singh. Despite having criticised the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for years, Mehron rushed to seek its protection, addressing his supporters jointly with SGPC officials, calling for police action against the victim as well. Earlier this year, he turned his attention to 'vaids', or self-styled medical practitioners, who sold medicines they claimed treated sexual dysfunctions. He shared pictures of their advertisements on social media. Some of these vaids later met Mehron and issued apologies, which he videographed and put on his social media accounts. Mehron also claimed he had made Amritsar-based influencer Deepika Luthra apologise for creating what he called vulgar content. Luthra told police last week that Mehron threatened her repeatedly. She was provided security and a fresh case was registered against Mehron. Luthra told police that she was called by Mehron and his men for a promotional video, and was then waylaid on a village road. She alleged that she was forced to apologise, after which she stopped posting such content. Mehron posted the video of the meeting and the apology on his social media, portraying it as a personal achievement. Last month, Mehron specially went to meet to extend support to Himanshi Narwal, the widow of a naval officer killed by terrorists in Pahalgam. 'Custodians of morality' Historians and political scientists say vigilantes like Mehron are not a new phenomenon. Dr Harjeshwar Pal Singh of the Department of History, SGGS College Sector 26, Chandigarh, says such socio-religious vigilantes have been part of society for a long time. 'Indian and Punjabi society is deeply conservative, religious and has traditionally been stronger than the state. Vigilantes like Nihangs, Shiv Sainiks, khap panchayats, society uncles, etc, have often acted as custodians of morality and society and acted against women, drugs, minorities and vulgarity,' he told ThePrint. 'Respect for the law, democratic norms and tolerance for alternative lifestyles has been slow among these groups. Many such vigilantes have been patronised by political groups. The rise of social media, religious polarisation, economic inequality and changing societal norms has only deepened social anxiety and concern about issues of vulgarity and led to the rise of vigilantes like Mehron, whose pages are followed by lakhs. Platforms like Facebook, YouTube, and WhatsApp help vigilante groups mobilise support, name and shame targets, and create parallel moral courts,' he added. Viral videos of moral policing or 'religious protection' gain approval and embolden others, he said. Dr Kanwalpreet Kaur of the department of political science, DAV College Sector 10, Chandigarh, says nudity and vulgarity has existed in Punjab through songs and dances played at weddings for decades. 'Families, including women and children attending these weddings, enjoying this music, and youth dancing to such numbers, do not have a shock value. Influencers are mouthing these songs, adding their own lewd acts to them. And what about the lakhs who follow them? The influencers are serving what is being bought. 'However, the emergence of the so-called vigilantes is new. They are working either for an unseen behind-the-curtain agent or for the glory and money earned through social media. These vigilantes should not be allowed to become keepers of the collective conscience of a healthy, inclusive, progressive society.' Adding, 'The quality of content available on social media needs to be regulated, restricting adult content. But people like Mehron should also be taken to task by the law.' (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: Kanchan Kumari was killed for giving men what they want. And that's the real obscenity
