A disturbing trend has gripped Pakistan where a third female TikTok influencer has died under suspicious circumstances in just two months. Sameera Rajput, a popular content creator with over 58,000 followers, was found dead at her home in Sindh. Rajput’s teenage daughter has claimed that her death was a murder by a man who was pressuring her for marriage.
According to Pakistan’s Geo News, the 15-year-old daughter alleged that her mother was poisoned by individuals who had long been coercing her into a marriage against her will. Two suspects, Babu Rajput and Muhammad Imran, have been detained, although no FIR has yet been filed, a Gulf News report stated.
Post mortem confirms poisoning
Ghotki police confirmed to Geo News that Rajput’s post-mortem indicated death by poisoning. However, police said further forensic tests are ongoing and they are investigating whether foul play was involved. The lack of urgency and delay in registering an FIR has once again sparked criticism of the Islamic-nation’s law enforcement agencies failing to protect women.
Third such killing in two months
Rajput’s death marks the latest in a string of violent incidents targeting female influencers. A 17-year-old TikToker, Sana Yousaf, was fatally shot in Islamabad last month by a man accused of harassing her. Earlier in January, 15-year-old Hira was allegedly murdered by her father and uncle in Quetta for refusing to delete her TikTok account.
In southwestern Balochistan, a man confessed to murdering his 14-year-old daughter earlier this year over TikTok videos that he said compromised her “honor”, Arab News reported.
These cases have ignited public outcry and revived memories of the 2016 killing of Qandeel Baloch, a prominent social media figure strangled to death by her brother.
According to the Arab News report, Pakistani authorities have blocked or threatened to block TikTok in recent months over what they call “immoral behavior”.