Chandigarh, Oct 14: The Haryana government has placed Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur on leave amid rising political pressure and widespread public outrage over the alleged suicide of IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar. The move follows growing calls for accountability from political parties, civil society, and the officer’s family, who have accused senior officials of harassment and discrimination.
Confirming the development, Rajiv Jaitly, media adviser to the Haryana Chief Minister, said, “Yes, the DGP has been sent on leave by the government.” The decision came just days after the transfer of Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya, another senior officer named in the controversy.
Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch IPS officer serving in Haryana, was found dead at his official residence in Chandigarh on October 7, reportedly from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. In an eight-page “final note” recovered from the scene, Kumar levelled serious allegations against eight senior IPS officers, including DGP Kapur and SP Bijarniya, accusing them of caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, and public humiliation that allegedly drove him to take his life.
In response to the incident, the Chandigarh Police constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to conduct an impartial probe into the case. However, the late officer’s wife, Amneet P. Kumar, a senior IAS officer, has demanded that both Kapur and Bijarniya be directly named in the FIR for abetment to suicide. The family has also refused to permit the post-mortem examination or cremation of Kumar’s body until their demands are met, citing a lack of trust in the ongoing investigation and the state administration.
The case has sparked a major political storm in Haryana and beyond, with opposition parties accusing the BJP-led state government of shielding senior officials and delaying justice. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to visit the bereaved family in Chandigarh on Tuesday to express solidarity and support their demand for an independent probe. Other political figures, including Union Minister Ramdas Athawale, INLD chief Abhay Singh Chautala, and Aam Aadmi Party leader Harpal Singh Cheema, have already met the family to offer condolences and demand accountability.
Union Minister Athawale told reporters that Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini had assured “strict and exemplary action” against those found responsible after a thorough investigation. Meanwhile, a 31-member citizens’ committee formed to pursue justice for the officer’s family has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Haryana government to act against the named officers, warning of statewide protests if no action is taken.
Opposition leaders have seized upon the incident to highlight what they describe as a growing culture of institutional harassment, caste bias, and administrative apathy within the state’s policing system. “This is not just a personal tragedy; it is a systemic failure,” said an opposition spokesperson. “If senior officers can be driven to such despair, what hope do ordinary citizens or junior officials have for fair treatment?”
The tragedy has reignited debate over workplace mental health, caste-based discrimination within bureaucratic structures, and the need for stronger institutional safeguards for officers in uniform.