Gurugram: Amid the intensifying criticism of Haryana’s Nayab Singh Saini government for its alleged dillydallying in acting against DGP Shatrujeet Singh Kapur, Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi visited the family of deceased Haryana IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar on Tuesday morning.
Gandhi demanded the immediate arrest of the DGP and SP accused by the IPS officer of driving him to suicide.
The Congress leader met Kumar’s wife, IAS officer Amneet P. Kumar, their two daughters and other family members at her Chandigarh residence and remained with them for a while.
Rahul Gandhi’s visit has come at a time Dalit organisations have launched demonstrations across the state against the alleged inaction of the government, prompting the state administration to issue a state-wide alert for heightened vigilance.
The IPS suicide case has also cast a shadow on Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini’s leadership, who just a year ago steered the Bhartiya Janata Party to power in Haryana for the third consecutive term, against all odds.
Speaking to the media after emerging from Amneet Kumar’s residence, Rahul Gandhi accused the Haryana government of exerting undue pressure on Y. Puran Kumar’s family and asked it to stop orchestrating a “tamasha (spectacle)”.
“The Haryana government should stop this tamasha. Pressure is being put on the IPS’ family—this should not happen,” Gandhi said.
The Leader of Opposition demanded immediate arrests of the accused officers, saying, “The government should arrest the officers and not insult the deceased IPS. The CM took three days’ time but did nothing.”
Rahul Gandhi also appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to intervene and ensure swift action to ensure there is no further humiliation of the deceased IPS officer’s family.
The IPS officer’s family has refused to give its consent to a postmortem, even eight days after Y. Puran Kumar ended his life.
An officer of 2001 batch from the Scheduled Caste community, Y. Puran Kumar had allegedly shot himself dead on 7 October, accusing Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and former Rohtak MP Narendra Bijarniya of driving him to suicide by trying to frame him in a false case.
He had also accused 13 other present and former officers of caste-based discrimination, humiliation and harassment over the years.
The Haryana government Monday night sent Kapur on leave, and handed over the DGP’s duties to 1992-batch IPS officer O.P. Singh. However, a number of government functionaries ThePrint called Tuesday morning to ask about the duration of Kapur’s leave, said they could not answer.
Widespread protests
Dalit organisations like the Bhim Army and Bahujan Samaj Party supporters have staged rallies in multiple cities of Haryana demanding accountability and reforms to address casteism in bureaucracy.
To ensure that the law and order in Haryana isn’t jeopardised, the state government on Monday issued an alert, directing Deputy Commissioners (DCs) and Superintendents of Police (SPs) to enforce strict monitoring of demonstrations.
A letter issued by the General Administration Department emphasised ensuring communal harmony and preventing escalation, amid fears of larger mobilisations.
The police have been instructed to deploy additional forces in sensitive areas, reflecting the administration’s concern over the protests’ potential to disrupt public order.
Saini’s abilities under a cloud
For Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini, who assumed office 17 October last year after almost single-handedly steering the BJP to power for the third consecutive term, the controversy has come as a major challenge, as his decision-making capability has come under question.
While the corridors of power in Chandigarh were always abuzz with rumours that Saini’s government was being run by a bureaucracy close to former CM Manohar Lal Khattar, this incident has further exposed CM Nayab Saini’s weaknesses.
Saini had planned celebrations with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Sonipat to mark one year of his government on 17 October. Most arrangement were already made. But late on Monday, the rally was cancelled. Though no reason has been assigned for the cancellation officially, the decision has come amid heightened criticism of the state government and demonstrations by Dalit organisations across the country.
Likewise, Saini was to head an event to mark Bhagwan Balmiki Jayanti at Nuh on Tuesday, but that too was cancelled.
Political analyst Mahabir Jaglan told ThePrint that the Haryana Government of Nayab Singh Singh Saini has been almost paralysed for a week, since the suicide of the senior IPS officer.
“The Chief Minister Nayab Saini met his widow to condole the tragic death of the IPS officer had promised that he would respond to her demands by evening. But he has been silent on the issue for about five days now. The only step he could take was to send the DGP Shatrujeet Kapur on leave, that too under pressure from the Opposition, when he learnt that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was visiting the family today,” Jaglan said.
A senior officer in the government, however, told ThePrint Tuesday that the Nayab Saini government has acted with sensitivity and promptness in this case.
“Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini met the officer’s family and assured them that the inquiry will remain completely fair. The meeting was quiet and personal—more about listening than formality. To ensure that the judicial process remains free from any influence, the DGP Haryana has proceeded on leave and senior IPS officer Om Prakash Singh has been given additional charge. The SP Rohtak has also been transferred,” said the officer.
Meanwhile, Union Minister Chirag Paswan, a Dalit leader and an ally of the BJP at the Centre, is also meeting the bereaved family.
As political leaders from across the spectrum visit the family, the IPS suicide case seems to be completely cornering Nayab Saini government for its alleged dillydallying in acting against officers named in the suicide note.
With investigations by an SIT constituted by the Chandigarh Police in progress and protests by Dalit organisations intensifying, the IPS officer’s family’s and the government’s next moves will be closely watched.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: IPS officer Puran Kumar’s ‘suicide’: Haryana DGP sent on leave; no decision on postmortem yet