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Haryana IPS officer’s autopsy on hold after miscommunication between family, police
Body of Y Puran Kumar, 52, was shifted from GMSH, Sector 16, to PGIMER, Chandigarh, around 8am, but family objected saying it was done without their knowledge.
Four days after IPS officer Y Puran Kumar allegedly shot himself at his Sector 11 residence, his post-mortem examination was put on hold following a communication gap between his family and Chandigarh Police on Saturday morning.
The 52-year-old officer’s body was shifted from the mortuary of Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) around 8am. However, the family objected, claiming that it had been shifted without their knowledge.
According to family sources, Puran Kumar’s wife Amneet had informed police officials that before the post-mortem was conducted, their two daughters wished to see the body and pay their last respects.
The family had also requested that a ballistic expert and a magistrate be included in the medical board constituted for the autopsy.
However, the police reportedly misinterpreted the conversation as consent to proceed with the post-mortem and took the body to PGIMER in the morning.
By 11.30am, Chandigarh director general of police (UT) Sagar Preet Hooda was at the family’s residence in Sector 24, where discussions were underway to resolve the matter.
Chandigarh Police DGP Sagar Preet Hooda admitted that there had been a communication gap. “There was a communication gap. We will not proceed with the post-mortem till the family gives its consent. The SSP is accompanying the body and the process will begin only once the family gives a go-ahead,” he said.
On Friday, the Haryana government had sent minister Krishan Lal Panwar to persuade the family to allow the post-mortem, which is vital for investigation into the case. State chief secretary Anurag Rastogi and additional chief secretary, home, Sumita Mishra also tried to convince the family to give its consent for the autopsy.
Chandigarh DGP Hooda had on Friday constituted a six-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death of the inspector general rank officer.
The UT Police registered an FIR on Thursday evening with charges of abetment to suicide and provisions of the SC/ST Act based on the “final note” by the 2001-batch IPS officer, who named Haryana director general of police (DGP) Sharujeet Singh Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya among 11 serving and retired officials for allegedly harassing and maligning him.
On Friday morning, Amneet, who is also a senior Haryana IAS officer, wrote to the Chandigarh senior superintendent of police (SSP) Kanwardeep Kaur, questioning “incomplete information” in the first information report and demanded it be corrected “to accurately reflect the names of all accused”. Amneet also sought that “diluted sections of the SC/ST Act” that have been added in the FIR be amended.
The family had earlier refused to allow the post-mortem till the arrest of the Haryana DGP and Rohtak SP.
The SIT comprises SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, SP (City) KM Priyanka, DSP (Traffic) Charanjit Singh Virk, sub divisional police officer (south) Gurjit Kaur, and the station house officer of the Sector 11 police station, inspector Jaiveer Singh Rana.
It will collect evidence, examine witnesses, seek expert opinions, and prepare a final report in a time-bound manner. The Chandigarh DGP, however, did not mention the deadline for the SIT to submit its report. His directive emphasised that “the investigation must be prompt, impartial, and comprehensive, given the seriousness of the matter”.
