Sonia Gandhi Backs Amneet Kumar, Demands Justice in IPS Officer Y Puran Kumar’s Death

Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi penned a heartfelt letter to Amneet P. Kumar, wife of the late IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar, expressing profound shock over his suicide and vowing solidarity in the family's quest for justice. Describing the incident as "shocking and deeply saddening", Gandhi highlighted it as a "grim reminder" of the prejudiced attitudes within power structures that undermine social justice ideals, even for senior public servants. The letter, released on Friday, comes amid intensifying scrutiny on Haryana's police leadership following Kumar's death on October 8.

Y. Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch IPS officer and Additional Director General of Police in Chandigarh, allegedly shot himself at his Sector-11 residence, leaving behind an eight-page suicide note and a will. The note implicated 16 senior IAS and IPS officers—eight specifically named, including Haryana Director General of Police Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya—in a pattern of harassment, humiliation, and professional vendetta that he claimed drove him to despair. Kumar, a Dalit officer from Andhra Pradesh renowned for his anti-corruption initiatives, detailed instances of malicious transfers and public maligning. His family, including wife Amneet—a 2001-batch IAS officer—has refused to conduct last rites until accountability is ensured, citing ongoing threats and mental distress, particularly for their two daughters.

In her letter, Gandhi extended condolences to Amneet and the family, praying for "strength, courage, and comfort" in their grief. "On this path of justice, I, along with millions across the nation, stand firmly with you," she affirmed, urging swift action to treat the note as a dying declaration and prevent evidence tampering. Amneet, who was in Japan on an official delegation led by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini when informed of the tragedy, returned immediately and handed over her complaint directly to Saini during his visit to their home on Thursday. Her filing demands the suspension and arrest of the accused under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for abetment to suicide, alongside SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act provisions, emphasising Kumar's marginalised background as a key factor in the alleged bias.

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Chandigarh Police registered FIR No. 156 on Thursday at the Sector-11 station based on the note, with forensic teams recovering the weapon and securing the scene. A six-member Special Investigation Team, led by Inspector General Pushpendra Kumar, was constituted on Friday for a time-bound, impartial probe. In response to mounting outrage from civil services, police ranks, and the public, the Haryana government announced reshuffles: Rohtak SP Bijarniya was replaced by Surinder Singh Bhoria on Saturday, while sources indicate DGP Kapur may be sent on long leave, with an officiating DGP appointed to de-escalate tensions. Saini, addressing BJP workers in Panchkula, assured the family of justice "no matter how big" the guilty party, while coordinating with the Centre and rejecting opposition politicisation.

The case has ignited broader debates on institutional biases and mental health support for high-stress roles like policing, where whistleblowers face retaliation. Gandhi's intervention amplifies calls for a Supreme Court-monitored inquiry, underscoring Congress's critique of the BJP-led Haryana administration. As the SIT examines the allegations, activists and Kumar's community advocate for systemic reforms to protect marginalised officers, ensuring such tragedies do not recur in India's bureaucratic landscape.

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