Gurugram: Senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Y.Puran Kumar was found dead Tuesday afternoon at his official residence in Chandigarh.
The 2001 batch IPS officer, hailing from Andhra Pradesh, was last posted as Inspector-General of Police, Police Training Centre, Sunaria in Rohtak.
His wife, Amneet P.Kumar, is a 2001 batch IAS officer of Haryana cadre and is commissioner and secretary in future, civil aviation and foreign cooperation departments.
She is currently out of the country as she is part of the team accompanying Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Saini in Japan. The delegation is scheduled to return Wednesday.
The couple has two daughters, one of whom is studying in the US. A source told The Print that Kumar’s younger daughter was with him in their residence. He left for the basement where he allegedly shot himself. His daughter went to the basement after sometime where she noticed it and informed the police, the source added.
“An information of reported suicide was received in the police station, Sector 11 at 1.30 p.m. The deceased has been identified as Puran Kumar, IPS 2001. The Central Forensic Lab team is at the scene of incident. Further investigations are going on,” the police said in a statement.
A senior officer of Chandigarh Police told The Print that the police teams have been dispatched to Kumar’s Sector 11, Chandigarh residence.
After inspecting the spot, Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur said, “Kumar has committed suicide. At the moment, nothing more can be said. The reasons behind the suicide are being investigated.”
Known as an upright officer, Kumar often had run-ins with his fellow colleagues in the police force and senior civil servants, people in the know said. The 52-year-old had filed a few representations and complaints with senior officials, the Election Commission, and other authorities, highlighting perceived biases against him, particularly as a Scheduled Caste officer.
In May 2021, he filed a formal complaint with the Ambala Superintendent of Police (SP) against the then Director General of Police (DGP) Manoj Yadava, accusing him of humiliating and harassing him because of his caste. He had sought registration of an FIR against Yadava under the stringent Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities Act), 1989.
In his complaint, Kumar had alleged that he had visited a temple on 3 August, 2020, situated inside the premises of traffic police station Sahazadpur in Ambala. On the same day, Ambala SP Abhishek Jorwal also visited the temple.
A few days later on 17 August , Manoj Yadava, according to Kumar’s complaint, wrote asking him to inform whether prior permission for setting up a temple in the traffic police station was obtained. He alleged that no explanation was sought from Jorwal.
In November 2023, Kumar approached the then chief secretary Sanjeev Kaushal seeking permission to lodge an FIR against the then home secretary T.V.S.N.Prasad. He alleged that he had been posted to a “non-cadre” post of the IG, Home Guard, because of his caste.
Though Prasad didn’t respond to the allegation, a senior officer had said that the posting and transfers of IPS officers were done at the CM-level.
In the same month, Kumar expressed concerns for his family’s safety to the then Home Minister Anil Vij, and acting upon it, the DGP Shatrujeet Kapur asked the additional director general of police, Crime Investigation Department to assess the threat perception.
He had also approached the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on 7 February, 2024, seeking registration of the FIR against Yadava. The next day, the Haryana government constituted a panel comprising three retired IAS officers to look into the allegations.
However, in a representation submitted that month, Kumar called the committee “illegal” and “irrelevant”, saying that retired IAS officers lacked authority under the SC/ST Act.
Kumar cited Supreme Court and High Court orders, absence of SC representation, and lack of a Deputy Superintendent of Police-rank officer.
In April last year, Kumar complained to Prasad that he was allotted a seven-year-old Honda City as his official car, while peers received new Toyota Innovas.
Just before the 2024 Assembly polls in Haryana, Kumar lodged a complaint with the Election Commission and Prasad against a screening committee for promoting two ADGPs as DGPs and four IGs as ADGPs despite the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) in force.
Demanding an inquiry, Kumar warned of potential electoral influence in 17 assembly constituencies. A screening committee meeting was scheduled for 12 September despite the MCC. The meeting was later postponed following his complaint.
(If you are feeling suicidal or depressed, please call a helpline number in your state)
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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