Haryana ASI shoots himself dead, accuses late IG Puran Kumar of corruption
Chandigarh: In a development that has further deepened the crisis engulfing Haryana’s police force, Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar allegedly shot himself dead at his home in Rohtak on Tuesday, leaving behind a purported video and a suicide note accusing late Inspector General (IG) Y Puran Kumar of corruption. The incident has added new layers of controversy to the ongoing turmoil following the suspected suicide of the senior Dalit officer earlier this month.
Sandeep Kumar, who was attached to the cyber cell, was found dead at his residence on Tuesday morning. According to officials, his body was discovered hours after the Haryana government late on Monday night sent Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur on leave, appointing 1992-batch IPS officer O P Singh as acting DGP. Kapur was one of eight officers named by Puran Kumar in a note alleging caste-based harassment and discrimination before his death.
Rohtak Superintendent of Police S S Bhoria, who visited the site, said, Puran Kumar of corruption
“ASI Sandeep was a hard-working and honest person in our department. We received information that a body has been found, after which we reached here.” When asked about the alleged suicide note and video, Bhoria said the forensic team was examining both, adding, “To say anything at this stage is difficult.”
The six-minute video and three-page note reportedly contained allegations against the late IG, although their authenticity has yet to be verified. In the purported recording, Sandeep Kumar invokes freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, saying, “Even Bhagat Singh made sacrifices and walked a difficult path, after which the country awakened. And today, this country will awaken when we sacrifice ourselves on the path of truth.” He also claimed that former Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya had “confronted Puran Kumar”.
Police sources said Sandeep had been involved in the arrest of head constable Sushil Kumar, an aide of Puran Kumar who was found with a gunshot wound in his Chandigarh residence on October 7. The circumstances of both deaths have raised questions within the police establishment and among political circles.
Earlier in the day, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi met the family of the late IG Puran Kumar in Rohtak. Addressing reporters afterward, he said the officer was subjected to “systematic discrimination” meant to demoralise and damage his career. “There should be immediate action against the officials mentioned in the note. You arrest them,” Gandhi told reporters, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Haryana government to ensure justice for the family.
He further said, “This is not only a matter of one family but of the respect of every Dalit brother and sister.” Gandhi accused the state government of failing to uphold its commitment to a “free and fair inquiry”.
The political temperature in Haryana has continued to rise since Puran Kumar’s death, with protests by Dalit organisations and opposition parties demanding arrests of those named in his note. Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Congress MP Deepender Singh Hooda, and INLD leader Abhay Singh Chautala are among several politicians who have visited the bereaved family.
Y Puran Kumar, a 52-year-old 2001-batch IPS officer known for his advocacy on service rights and seniority issues within the police force, was found dead in his Chandigarh residence earlier this month. His purported suicide note accused eight officers, including DGP Kapur and SP Bijarniya, of “blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation, and atrocities.”
His wife, senior IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, has demanded that the named officers be booked for abetment of suicide. The family has refused to allow the post-mortem and cremation until arrests are made.
Chandigarh Police has constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe Puran Kumar’s death. Meanwhile, the Haryana government has directed police officers to maintain community harmony and step up vigilance amid protests across the state.
A senior state official said field officers had been instructed to “work closely with community leaders and take proactive steps to prevent any untoward incidents.”
The controversy surrounding Puran Kumar had intensified weeks before his death after a Rohtak-based liquor contractor lodged a bribery complaint against head constable Sushil Kumar, alleging that he had demanded Rs 2.5 lakh in the IG’s name. The case, which surfaced while Puran Kumar was posted in Rohtak, has since become a focal point in the debate over corruption and caste-based bias within the police department. Sandeep Kumar’s suicide, coming so soon after his superior’s, has only compounded suspicions and deepened public outrage. Senior officers admitted that morale within the force has been shaken. In the aftermath of the twin suicides, the state government announced a series of administrative changes. O P Singh, who has taken additional charge as Haryana’s DGP, arrived at Police Headquarters in Panchkula on Tuesday.
Singh currently serves as Managing Director of the Haryana Police Housing Corporation (HPHC) and also heads the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) at Madhuban and the Haryana State Narcotics Control Bureau (HSNCB). Under his leadership, the HPHC has overseen major infrastructure projects, including the construction of police housing and administrative buildings across the state.
Upon assuming charge, Singh held a meeting with senior police officers, discussing the state’s law and order situation and measures to strengthen internal discipline. Senior officials described him as a “seasoned officer with wide experience in crime control, cybercrime investigation, and institutional reforms.”
