CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini assured that a thorough inquiry will be launched into the alleged suicide of IPS officer Y Puran Kumar. Meanwhile, Congress and Aam Aadmi Party leaders accused the BJP-led Haryana government for failing to bring justice to the family of at his wife senior IAS officer Amneet P Kumar's official residence in Chandigarh. Political leaders, including Punjab CM Mann, offered condolences to the family.
Congress MPs Deepinder Hooda, Randeep Singh Surjewala, Kumari Shelja and former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Saturday met the family members of the deceased officer and assured full support to them.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi have also condemned Kumar’s suicide and the circumstances that drove him to take the drastic step.
Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi wrote a letter to senior IAS officer Amneet wife of deceased IPS officer Kumar, expressing deep sorrow and solidarity.
"The news of the tragic death of your husband and senior IPS officer, Mr Y Puran Kumar, is both shocking and deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences to you and your entire family in this time of immense difficulty," she wrote.
She added, "The passing of Y Puran Kumar is a reminder to us that even today, the prejudiced and biased attitude of those in power deprives even the most senior officials of social justice. I and millions of people of the country stand with you on this path to justice."
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament from Sirsa and former Union Minister Kumari Selja who met the bereaved family said that the BJP government of Haryana must answer in the case of Kumar’s suicide.
"Why did this happen? Why were his repeated warnings ignored?" she asked.
Shelja said that this was not an isolated incident. "The officers named in his letter were the same ones he had been raising concerns about repeatedly in the past. Unfortunately, neither the government nor the system paid attention to his pain and instead, he was continually harassed and subjected to action. Imagine a senior officer who served with utmost honesty being mentally broken to such an extent that he felt he had no way out. This is not just the tragedy of one person, it is a stark example of the entire system’s insensitivity."
Deepender Hooda said that he paid tribute to the family of Kumar on his untimely demise and expressed condolences to the bereaved family. "We stand with the aggrieved family in their fight for justice," he added.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann also met the family and after the meeting, Mann expressed solidarity with the grieving family and demanded a fair and transparent investigation into the officer’s death.
"The family is demanding justice. I request the Chief Minister of Haryana and the Central Government to stand with this family. You cannot disregard the law to protect one person. no one is above the law. Justice should be given."
Mann further said that he has also met the Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria who is also the Chandigarh Administrator and requested him to intervene in the case.
"He should sit with the officers and the family together and talk. I will also speak to the Haryana Chief Minister. It is now clear that a community is being deliberately targeted as part of a conspiracy," he said.
He added that the late officer and others from his community did not come through any recommendations but cleared the UPSC exams on merit.
Senior AAP leader and Punjab-in-charge Manish Sisodia met the family before CM Mann met them.
Leader of the Opposition in Punjab and senior Congress leader, Partap Singh Bajwa said that the incident has once again laid bare the ugly face of caste discrimination within the very institutions meant to uphold justice and equality.
He demanded that those responsible for driving the senior police officer to take such an extreme step must be identified and punished in accordance with the law.
"This is not merely a personal tragedy it is a systemic failure. If a senior IPS officer can be pushed to this point, imagine the daily struggles of those who have no voice or platform. The guilty must be held accountable, no matter how high their position," he said.
Meanwhile, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini assured the family of a thorough inquiry into his alleged suicide and strict action against the accused.
He was speaking at the BJP state executive meeting in Panchkula, where members paid tribute to the late officer by observing a two-minute silence. "This is an unfortunate incident. The family has demanded justice. We have assured them that there will be a thorough inquiry. Action will be taken against the accused. There should not be politics on such sensitive issues. No matter how influential the culprit, they won’t be spared. Our government will work to deliver justice," he said.
Saini shared that he was in constant touch with the central government for a solution to the matter.
