Protests erupt in Kanpur after social media influencer Mansi’s suspicious death sparks dowry murder allegations

KANPUR: Tensions boiled over in Kanpur on Monday as family members and supporters staged a massive protest demanding justice for popular social media influencer Manasi, who was found dead under highly suspicious circumstances.

While initial reports attempted to frame the tragedy as a suicide, Manasi’s grieving family has vehemently rejected the claim, accusing her husband, Sagar Rajput, and his family of systematic torture and cold-blooded murder disguised as self-harm.

The family’s heartbreaking account paints a grim picture of domestic horror behind the closed doors of Manasi’s marital home. Speaking to the press during today’s demonstration, Priyanka Verma, the elder sister of the deceased, detailed horrific signs of physical abuse found on Manasi’s body.

“There are stab marks on her legs. She was strangled; she was tortured over demands for dowry,” Verma said, visibly shaken. “We gave them everything they asked for. But they said they wanted a Fortuner and a Scorpio…”

#WATCH | Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh: Social media influencer Manasi dies under suspicious circumstances. Family alleges dowry harassment, accusing husband Sagar Rajput & in-laws of torture and murder disguised as suicide. Protest staged today in Kanpur.

Priyanka Verma, the elder… pic.twitter.com/ZwdTfOTw18

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 1, 2026

According to the family, despite fulfilling multiple financial demands at the time of marriage, the insatiable greed of the in-laws persisted, culminating in relentless physical and mental harassment over high-end luxury SUVs.

Family members accused the in-laws of attempting to stage a suicide scene to cover up the marks of strangulation and physical assault. They are demanding a thorough, unbiased investigation and a swift post-mortem review by an independent medical board.

This incident comes amid public outcry over the Twisha Sharma death case. Sharma, a resident of Noida, died in Bhopal on May 12 after allegedly being subjected to mental torture and dowry harassment by her husband and his family. The case has been taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after the Supreme Court heard of the case.

Earlier today, a CBI team visited the residence of former district judge and mother-in-law Giribala Singh, who is an accused in the Twisha Sharma case, and actively recreated the crime scene. As part of the ongoing probe, the team used a dummy body to gather crucial evidence in the presence of accused Giribala Singh and Samarth Singh.

On Sunday, a silent protest was held demanding justice in the death of Twisha Sharma in Uttar Pradesh’s Noida. Twisha Sharma was married to Bhopal resident Samarth Singh in December 2025. Following her death on May 12, her family alleged that she was harassed for dowry by her husband and in-laws. The case involves serious allegations under the newly implemented Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.

Twisha’s brother, Major Harshit Sharma, said that they have full faith that the truth will come out.”This case is no longer about Twisha. We are gathered here today to express the unity that we are feeling. So many people have come up to support us. A gathering was organised by the society, and we are here to attend that… We have full faith that the truth will come out,” he said. (ANI)