IPS officer 'suicide': Haryana CM meets deceased's wife, she demands registration of FIR, arrest of 'accused'

Chandigarh, Oct 9 (PTI) Amneet P Kumar, whose husband, IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, has allegedly shot himself dead, sought the Haryana chief minister's intervention on Thursday to ensure the registration of an FIR against those named in the "suicide note" and her complaint.

Accompanied by some senior bureaucrats, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini went to the official residence of senior IAS officer Amneet Kumar at Sector 24 here on Thursday.

Saini, who arrived here on Thursday after concluding a three-day official visit to Japan, was at Kumar's residence for nearly 50 minutes. A press conference of the chief minister scheduled for the afternoon was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances, an official statement said.

It said Saini visited the deceased IPS officer's wife and conveyed his condolences. He also assured Amneet Kumar of appropriate action.

Amneet Kumar is the commissioner and secretary of the Haryana government's Department of Foreign Cooperation.

She was also in Japan as part of the delegation led by Saini. She returned to India on Wednesday on getting the news of her husband's death.

A memorandum was given to the chief minister by Amneet Kumar.

In the memorandum, she has sought the immediate registration of an FIR, the suspension and arrest of the accused mentioned in Puran Kumar's "suicide note" and a complaint that she later submitted to police, and lifelong security to the family "since powerful, high-ranking officials of Haryana are involved in the case".

"It is most distressing that, despite the existence of a clear and detailed suicide note and a formal complaint, no FIR has been registered till date.

"The suicide note explicitly names the individuals responsible for creating an atmosphere of harassment, humiliation and mental torture, which directly led to this tragic act. This note constitutes a dying declaration and must be treated as crucial evidence demanding immediate legal action," she has said in the memorandum.

The deceased's wife has also claimed that "despite the lapse of more than 48 hours, no action has been taken by the Chandigarh Police".

She has alleged that no action is being taken in the matter as "powerful, high-ranking officials of the Haryana Police and administration are accused in the case and they are influencing the Chandigarh Police".

"There is serious apprehension in my mind that after this complaint, these 'high-ranking powerful officials' will try to malign me and my family and will also try to implicate me departmentally or otherwise," she has stated in the memorandum.

The body of Y Puran Kumar, 52, a 2001-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, was found with a gunshot wound in a room in the basement of his Sector 11 house on Tuesday.

In a note that he left behind, Puran Kumar has named many "senior officers" and detailed the "mental harassment" and humiliation he faced over the last few years, according to sources.

Amneet Kumar claimed in a police complaint on Wednesday that her husband's death was the result of "systematic persecution" by high-ranking officers.

She said an FIR should be filed against Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur and another senior IPS officer under section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) (abetment of suicide) and provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Both officers could not be reached on the phone despite attempts.

In the memorandum submitted to Saini on Thursday, Amneet Kumar described her husband as a distinguished and decorated police officer who served the state and the country with integrity, dedication and courage.

He was a recipient of the President's Medal for Meritorious Service and throughout his illustrious career, he was a symbol of honesty, discipline and fearless commitment to duty, she said.

"Late Shri Y Puran Kumar was not only an exceptional officer but also a prominent representative and pillar of strength for the Scheduled Castes community," she said.

"He stood as a source of inspiration and guidance for countless individuals from marginalised sections of society. His life and service gave hope and pride to millions who saw in him a symbol of empowerment and justice. His tragic death has therefore caused deep sorrow and outrage, particularly among the Scheduled Castes community, whose faith in equality and justice has been gravely shaken," she has said.

"In view of the above, It is most humbly requested that your good office may kindly intervene and ensure: Immediate registration of an FIR against all the individuals named in the suicide note and the accompanying complaint, in accordance with law.

"Immediate suspension and arrest of all accused persons to prevent interference, tampering of evidence or influence over the investigation. Provision of permanent security cover for the family of late Shri Y Puran Kumar, especially his two daughters, who are under serious threat and mental distress. Protection of the family's rights and dignity, as they continue to face harassment and fear from those responsible," she has said.

Puran Kumar was a man of honour and service, "and the silence of the system only deepens the pain of his family and the community that looked up to him", the deceased's wife has further mentioned in the memorandum given to the chief minister.

"Your immediate intervention and firm action will restore confidence in governance and assure the citizens that justice is not delayed nor denied," she has told Saini.

Sources said Puran Kumar left an eight-page typed and signed "final note", titled "Continued blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities by concerned senior officers of Haryana since August 2020 which is now unbearable".

Chief Principal Secretary to the chief minister Rajesh Khullar, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra and a few other IAS officers accompanied Saini to Amneet Kumar's residence. Minister Krishan Lal Panwar was also present. PTI SUN RC