Rahul Gandhi, the leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini to take action against the senior police officers named in note left behind by IPS officer Y Puran Kumar who died by suicide last week.
“The family wants dignity. They say he was disrespected and his career was targeted, but at least give him respect after his death. This is not just about one family, but about Dalits across the country. I want to tell the PM and Haryana CM: act now,” Rahul told the media after meeting the family members of the deceased IPS officer at their Chandigarh residence on Tuesday.
Kumar, a 2001-batch IPS officer of ADGP-rank, allegedly shot himself dead on October 7 at his residence in Chandigarh. He was 52.
In an eight-page note attributed to him, Kumar accused eight senior officers, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and SP Bijarniya of “blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities.”
Rahul said the Haryana CM had earlier promised the family a “free and fair inquiry,” but the commitment had yet to be fulfilled.
“There has been a tragedy. He is a government officer, and the Haryana CM has personally given them a commitment that he will start a free and fair inquiry and initiate action. He said this three days ago, but this commitment is not getting fulfilled. His two daughters, who lost their father, are under a lot of pressure…” Rahul said.
Kumar’s wife, senior IAS officer Amneet P. Kumar, has demanded that the two officers be named in the FIR for abetment of suicide. The family has refused to consent to a post-mortem or cremation until their demands are met.
The Chandigarh Police has since formed a six-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the case.
The Congress leader went on to link Kumar’s death to broader caste-based discrimination within India’s institutions.
“It is a Dalit couple and one thing is clear that there was systematic discrimination for years to demoralise this officer and to damage his career and his reputation by other officers. This is not just a matter of one family. There are crores of Dalit brothers and sisters in the country, and they are getting the wrong message,” Rahul said.
“The message that no matter how successful, intelligent, or capable you are, if you are a Dalit, you can be suppressed and thrown out. This is not acceptable for us,” he continued.
Reiterating his demand for swift accountability, the Rae Bareilly MP said, “He was a serving officer. The country understands what type of pressure could have been created on him. Action should be taken against these officers immediately. Arrest the officers and initiate the action. The family is getting a simple message, and they just want respect.”
The Haryana government on Tuesday sent state Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur on leave, amid growing political pressure as he has been mentioned in the purported final note of IPS Y. Puran Kumar, accusing eight senior officers of caste-based harassment and humiliation.
The decision came days after the transfer of former Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya, another senior officer named in Kumar’s note.
Rajiv Jaitly, media adviser to the Haryana Chief Minister, confirmed the move, saying, “Yes, the DGP has been sent on leave by the government.”
An official order stated that O.P. Singh, a 1992-batch IPS officer of DGP rank, has been given the additional charge of DGP Haryana during the leave period of Shatrujeet Kapur.
The Congress party, in an official post on X, echoed Rahul Gandhi’s remarks.
“The tragic incident is a blot on our nation and society—a grim reminder that the marginalised communities are losing hope in today's India. The BJP-RSS's Manuwadi ideology, based on hatred and regressiveness, has poisoned the society to the extent that humanity is struggling to cope,” the post mentioned.
