Haryana police suicides: Mystery deepens as ASI Sandeep Kumar’s family demands arrest of late IPS officer’s wife

Adding a murky twist to the suspected ‘suicide’ case of Inspector General Y. Puran Kumar, another police officer shot himself dead in Haryana on Tuesday, after levelling corruption allegations against the late officer.

 

The body of Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar was found at his home in Rohtak. He reportedly left behind a six-minute video message and a three-page suicide note in which he accused the late IPS officer of misuse of power.

 

Sandeep said he feared that he would be arrested in connection with the ongoing probe into Puran’s death, which has sparked massive outrage in the state. Puran was found with a gunshot wound in his Chandigarh home on October 7.

 

“The day this other officer was posted, he started doing caste politics and getting rid of people. He appointed his own corrupt people who began extorting money and even molesting women officers,” Sandeep alleged in the video. 

 

Police sources stated that the ASI had played a role in the arrest of Head Constable Sushil Kumar, an aide of Puran. The arrest was made after a liquor contractor in Rohtak filed a bribery case against Sushil, accusing him of seeking a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh in Puran's name (when he was posted there), reported PTI news agency.

 

"ASI Sandeep was a very hardworking and honest person in our department. We received information that a body had been found after which we reached here," Rohtak Superintendent of Police S.S. Bhoria told reporters.

 

Puran’s death had earlier triggered a political storm in the state as the IPS officer in his suicide note had alleged "blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities" against eight senior officers.

 

Following the uproar, the government transferred Narendra Bijarniya, former Rohtak superintendent of police, and sent state DGP Shatrujeet Kapur on leave.

 

Puran Kumar's wife, senior IAS officer Amneet P. Kumar, has demanded that Kapur and Bijarniya be named in the FIR for allegedly abetting her husband's suicide. The family is also seeking their arrest and has refused consent for post-mortem and cremation until their demands are met.

 

Sandeep’s family seeks Amneet’s arrest

 

In the fresh turn of events, now Sandeep’s family is demanding that Puran’s wife, Amneet, be arrested in connection with his death. The family refused to hand over his body to the police and instead took it to their native village, said a media report.

 

Sandeep’s family maintains that they will cremate his body only after Amneet is arrested.

 

“The government should investigate Y. Puran Kumar’s assets, which are worth Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000 crore,” Sandeep’s cousin Shishpal Lathar said.

 

The family also alleged that Sandeep was being tortured after he arrested Puran’s gunman in a bribery case.

India