Haryana IPS officer suicide: Why post-mortem is on hold and what are the family's demands

The deceased officer's family alleged they were not informed about his body being shifted to PGIMER from GMSH.

Amid the controversy over Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar's alleged suicide, the postmortem of the 52-year-old officer has been put on hold after the family alleged that they were not informed about his body being shifted.

Chief minister Nayab Singh Saini offering condolences to Y Puran Kumar’s wife and senior IAS officer Amneet P Kumar (centre) in Chandigarh on Thursday. (HT Photo)(HT_PRINT)

The 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) on Saturday morning.

Subsequently, the postmortem was put on hold owing to the alleged communication gap between Kumar's family and Chandigarh Police.

Family's demand

According to what family sources told HT, 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. Kumar's family had earlier refused to allow the post-mortem till the arrest of the Haryana DGP and Rohtak SP.

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.

Police response

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.

Hooda also went to family’s residence in Sector 24 to resolve the matter. On Friday, Hooda had constituted a six-member special investigation team (SIT) to probe the death of the inspector general rank officer. After meeting the family, Hooda said they have some grievances and discussions are underway to resolve them.

As the family refused to allow the postmortem till their demands are met, Haryana ministers Krishan Lal Panwar, Krishan Kumar Bedi, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, and principal secretary to the CM Rajesh Khullar met Kumar's family in an attempt to persuade it to agree to a post-mortem examination and cremation of the deceased officer.

Allegations of caste discrimination

Kumar's wife Amneet in her complaint to Chandigarh Police has sought an FIR against Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya under Section 108 of the BNS (abetment to suicide) and relevant provisions of the SC and ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, demanding their immediate arrest.

Amneet on Friday claimed it contained "incomplete information", and sought its amendment to "accurately reflect the names of all the accused". In the column meant for naming the accused, the FIR mentions "as per final note".

Kumar had reportedly left behind a final note before shooting himself in which the 2001-batch IPS officer had accused eight senior cops, including Bijarniya and Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur, of "blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities".

(With inputs from HT correspondent)