A PIL filed in the Punjab & Haryana High Court seeks a CBI probe into IPS officer Y Puran Kumar’s alleged suicide, citing caste-based harassment and institutional bias, raising serious questions about accountability within the police system.
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CHANDIGARH: The recent death of Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Y Puran Kumar has sparked widespread concern and debate over institutional accountability, alleged caste-based harassment, and the need for impartial investigation. A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed before the Punjab and Haryana High Court now seeks a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the circumstances surrounding his tragic demise.
The Case
Kumar reportedly took his own life at his residence in Chandigarh on October 7. In his suicide note, he allegedly named several senior officers, including Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and former Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, accusing them of caste-based discrimination and targeted harassment.
His wife, senior IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, has been vocally demanding justice for her husband. Following public outcry, both DGP Kapur and SP Bijarniya were temporarily removed from their posts.
Adding to the controversy, another police official, Sandeep Lathar, who had arrested an aide of Kumar in a separate case, also died by suicide this week, reportedly raising corruption allegations against Kumar and his family.
The PIL and Court Proceedings
The PIL was filed by Navneet Kumar, President of a Ludhiana-based NGO, before a Bench comprising Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Sanjiv Berry. The petitioner sought a CBI probe into Kumar’s death, arguing that such a case cannot be treated as a routine suicide without examining all factors and individuals mentioned in the suicide note.
During the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel stressed:
“Senior officials are committing suicide and alleging victimization, naming more than a dozen IPS and IAS officers. It is a matter of concern. Some central agency can conduct fair investigation.”
However, the Court asked the counsel to address the Supreme Court’s parameters for transferring cases to the CBI. Unable to provide immediate responses, the counsel sought time, and the matter was adjourned.
The Chandigarh Police, meanwhile, informed the Court that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) is already probing the case. They also questioned the petitioner’s locus, noting he is a Ludhiana resident who claimed to have been disturbed by reading newspaper reports.