Chandigarh: The cremation of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, who allegedly died by suicide on October 7 - was held here on Wednesday after an eight-day impasse over the action against the police officers named by him in his ``suicide note''.
The cremation was attended by Kumar’s family members, a number of his colleagues including 1992-batch IPS officer O P Singh, who has been given the additional charge of the DGP, Haryana, replacing Shatrujeet Kapur, additional chief secretary, Home, Sumita Misra and scores of other bureaucrats, political leaders and sympathisers.
Kumar's police uniform was briefly placed on the mortal remains before he was consigned to flames as his widow and IAS officer Amneet P Kumar and two daughters paid their last respects before the last rites with mourners raising slogans in Kumar's favour. A gun salute was given to the deceased senior IPS officer by a police contingent.
It may be recalled that a stalemate persisted till Tuesday over the issue of Kumar’s autopsy with the family members continuing to refuse autopsy or cremation of the late officer’s body until the ``key accused’’ – especially DGP Kapur and SP Narendra Bijarniya, they demanded, are suspended and arrested, as they could manipulate the probe.
However, Kumar’s post-mortem was conducted at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) on Wednesday morning after the family finally gave its consent after the government assured of a fair probe, action against all the erring officials and DGP Kapur was sent on leave. DGP Kapur was replaced by 1992-batch IPS officer O P Singh during Kapur's leave period.
The Chandigarh police, nonetheless, had also moved a court on Tuesday seeking directions for Kumar’s family to identify the body for autopsy, following which the court issued a notice to Amneet to respond failing which the application would be decided on merit.
For record, Kumar, 52, a 2001-batch IPS officer, who was posted as IGP, police training centre, Rohtak on September 25 last, had shot himself dead at his residence in Chandigarh, on October 7. He accused in his ``suicide note’’ nine senior serving IPS officers, including the DGP Sharujeet Kapur, SP Narendra Bijarniya, a retired IPS officer and three retired IAS officers, of ``caste-based discrimination, public humiliation, targeted mental harassment and atrocities’’ for the suicide. Kumar belonged to the SC community.
The case of suicide by Kumar, who was husband of Haryana IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, sent shockwaves not only in the police force but also the administrative and political circles nationwide. A number of Dalit organisations came in support of the bereaved family, and a number of top political leaders including Rahul Gandhi visited the bereaved family.Chandigarh
