Haryana IPS Officer Cremated; Family of Late ASI Seeks Justice Amid Ongoing Probe

Haryana IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar was cremated with full honours at the Sector 25 cremation ground here on Wednesday, eight days after he allegedly died by suicide, as his IAS wife, Amneet P. Kumar, consented to a postmortem following assurances of an impartial investigation. The 52-year-old 2001-batch officer, known for advocating officers' rights on seniority and welfare issues, shot himself on October 7 at his residence in Sector 8, amid claims of caste-based discrimination and harassment within the state police.

A gun salute by a police contingent marked the rites, attended by Haryana DGP O. P. Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra, politicians from various parties, and representatives from Dalit organisations. The family, including Puran Kumar's two daughters, bid farewell as his body, transported in a funeral van displaying his uniformed photograph, arrived post-autopsy at PGIMER.

The delay in cremation stemmed from the family's initial refusal for postmortem, citing distrust in the probe process. On Tuesday, Chandigarh Police approached a local court seeking directions to compel identification, prompting a notice to Amneet Kumar for a Wednesday response. In a statement, the senior IAS officer relented after receiving commitments from Chandigarh Police for a fair inquiry and from the Haryana government for action against "erring" officials.

"I gave consent considering the evidentiary importance of a timely postmortem and in the larger interest of justice," she said, expressing faith in the judiciary and pledging full cooperation to expedite "truth emerging in accordance with law." A medical board at PGIMER conducted the videographed autopsy, with the report forwarded to the investigating officer of a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by Chandigarh Police.

Earlier, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini visited Ladhot village in Rohtak to console the family of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar, who died by suicide on October 14, deepening the scandal. Accompanied by ministers Mahipal Dhanda, Krishan Lal Panwar, and BJP leader Manish Grover, Saini assured "appropriate action", as the family demanded justice. Sandeep, who left a six-minute video and a "final note" alleging corruption against Puran Kumar, claimed the senior officer's suicide was to evade family humiliation.

Sources indicate Sandeep aided in arresting Head Constable Sushil Kumar, purportedly Puran Kumar's associate, and praised "honest" Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya for confronting the IPS officer. In his video, Sandeep invoked Bhagat Singh's sacrifices, stating, "Today, this country will awaken when we sacrifice ourselves on the path of truth."

Also Read: Rohtak Police Suicide: CM Saini Meets ASI's Family, Promises Fair Probe into Corruption Claims

The twin tragedies have exposed fissures in Haryana Police, including bribery scandals linked to Puran Kumar and accusations of "blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation, and atrocities" detailed in his note naming eight officials, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and SP Bijarniya.

In response, the government placed Kapur on leave on Tuesday, appointing 1992-batch IPS officer O. P. Singh as acting DGP, and transferred Bijarniya last week. Opposition parties have intensified criticism, demanding accountability, while Dalit groups rally for Puran Kumar, a Scheduled Caste officer.

The SIT's probe, intersecting with Sandeep's allegations, could reshape internal dynamics, highlighting systemic issues in one of India's largest police forces amid calls for reforms to curb workplace toxicity.

Also Read: Haryana Police Scandal Deepens with Second Suicide, Allegations of Graft