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Haryana IGP Y Puran Kumar found dead at Chandigarh residence
The Chandigarh police in a statement said, “As a part of recovery, a ‘will’ and a suicide note was recovered at the scene, both of which were seized along with other evidence.”
Haryana inspector general of police (IGP) Y Puran Kumar was found dead with a gunshot wound at his house in Sector 11, Chandigarh, on Tuesday afternoon.
The Chandigarh police in a statement said, “As a part of recovery, a ‘will’ and a suicide note was recovered at the scene, both of which were seized along with other evidence.”
It is reliably learnt that the note runs into nine pages and holds some officers in Haryana responsible for his extreme step. However, police have not yet confirmed the content of the letter. A top officer confirmed the revelations in the note are being examined as part of the ongoing investigation.
Haryana police officials said that Kumar’s act of taking his life probably has genesis in a first information report (FIR) registered at Urban Estate Police Station in Rohtak against a police personnel, Sushil Kumar who was booked and arrested under Prevention of Corruption Act for taking illegal gratification from a liquor contractor.
Rohtak superintendent of police Narendra Bijarniya said that an exemptee assistant sub inspector (EASI) Sushil Kumar was demanding ₹2.5 lakh from a liquor contractor on behalf of Puran Kumar who was till a week back was posted an inspector general of police, Rohtak range.
“The liquor contractor had met Puran Kumar at his office in Rohtak two months ago. The then IG told him to cooperate with Sushil Kumar. EASI, Sushil Kumar on Puran Kumar’s behalf had been mounting pressure on the contractor, asking for money, for the last two months. Sushil was arrested on Monday by Rohtak police, produced before a court which sent him to judicial custody. In his disclosure statement, Sushil told the police that Puran Kumar had asked him to collect money on his behalf. A case was registered against Sushil Kumar under provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act at Urban estate police station in Rohtak. We have audio and video clips in which Sushil Kumar is demanding bribes from the contractor on behalf of the former Rohtak IG,” the Rohtak SP said.
As per highly placed sources, a notorious gangster was demanding ransom from the liquor contractor in question, Praveen Bansal and he had met the then Rohtak IG Y Puran Kumar to seek police protection.
At the time of the incident, two servants and Kumar’s 17-year-old daughter were present at the house.
The officer’s body has been shifted to the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, where it has been kept in the mortuary. The postmortem will be conducted by a board of doctors after the arrival of the officer’s wife, who is currently away on an official visit and expected to return on October 8.
Giving information in the case, Chandigarh senior superintendent of police Kanwardeep Kaur said, “Information regarding a suicide was received from Sector 11, Chandigarh, around 1.30pm today. The deceased has been identified as Puran Kumar, IPS (2001 batch), Haryana cadre. The Central Forensic Science Laboratory team is at the spot, and investigation is underway.”
Kumar had allegedly gone to the basement of his house which was converted into his workplace and was soundproof, police said. Police officials present on the spot said that it is likely that the bullet was fired even earlier, but the gunshot was not heard by his daughter. She found her father’s body at around 1.15 pm after which the call was made. Only one bullet was fired, police said.
Kumar’s wife, Amneet P Kumar, who is a senior Haryana IAS officer, was not at home at the time of the incident. At present, she is in Japan as part of a delegation led by Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini. She is expected to reach Chandigarh on Wednesday morning.
Police said Puran Kumar allegedly shot himself with his gunman’s firearm, which he usually used to take for safekeeping, and his body was found by his daughter in the basement. “Those present in the house at the time are being questioned,” the SSP said.
Kumar was posted as the inspector general, Police Training Centre, at Sunaria in Rohtak on September 29. He was the Rohtak Range IG for five months before that.
On three occasions since 2021, the IPS officer had approached Punjab and Haryana high court concerning his dispute with the government. The officer had raised questions over promotion granted to certain IPS batches officers and also his appointment to a non-cadre post in 2023. He had also levelled allegations against a former DGP of harassing him.
