Rape-accused social media star, aged 32, dies after suffering head injuries in a motorbike accident

The 32-year-old, known only as Junaid C, from India, was riding his motorbike last Friday (March 14), when he skidded and fell over a sandheap at the side of the road.

The Malappuram native suffered injuries on the back of his head, local media Manorama Online reported. He was immediately taken to Manjeri Medical College Hospital in a car by passersby who saw him bleeding at the side of the road, but he later died of injuries.

Police believe that the accident occurred around 6:30pm when Junaid's two-wheeler overturned after hitting the heap of sand at the Marathani bend in Karakunnu, Manjeri. He was reportedly en-route to Vazhikadavu from Manjeri when the accident happened.

Junaid had been arrested by Kerala Police on Saturday March 1 for allegedly raping a young woman he met through social media. The complainant accused him of sexually abusing her on the pretext of marriage. He was on bail when the accident occurred.

The influencer was known for his viral slow-motion and robotic dance moves on Instagram, and he had gained more than 66,000 followers on his page. However, after his arrest, he had been maintaining a low profile and was limiting his online activities. He had last posted, however, in the hours before his death.

Police are conducting further inquiries to see if any external factors contributed to the accident. Junaid’s body has been handed over to his family for his funeral and burial after his post-mortem was carried out.