CHANDIGARH: The eight-day standoff over the death of senior IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar ended on Wednesday after his family agreed to a postmortem, paving the way for his cremation later in the evening. Both of his daughters performed the last rites in Chandigarh.
The family had earlier refused an autopsy, demanding action against senior Haryana officials named in Puran Kumar’s suicide note, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and then Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya. The impasse placed the state government under intense pressure amid nationwide Dalit protests.
The government transferred Bijarniya on October 14, four days after the suicide, and sent Kapur on leave late Monday night. Puran Kumar’s wife, IAS officer Amneet P. Kumar, said she consented to the postmortem following assurances from Chandigarh Police of a fair investigation.
Meanwhile, attention has turned to the death of ASI Sandeep Kumar, who allegedly died by suicide soon after Kapur was sent on leave. His family, too, had refused an autopsy, demanding an FIR against those named in his final video and suicide note. They relented after being informed on Wednesday evening that an FIR had been registered.
Sandeep’s body, which had been kept in a hired freezer in Ladhot village, was moved to PGIMS Rohtak for postmortem, with cremation scheduled for Thursday morning.
Sandeep was part of the team investigating a corruption case allegedly involving Puran Kumar. That FIR, registered on October 6, reportedly triggered Puran Kumar’s suicide after his former PSO accused him of demanding money on his behalf.
In his video, Sandeep defended DGP Kapur as “honest” and claimed Puran Kumar’s death was due to “humiliation from corruption charges,” not caste issues.
Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini visited Sandeep’s family on Wednesday, assuring them of justice, a government job for a relative, and financial assistance.
