Leading figures from the Congress party launched a strong criticism against Haryana’s BJP government on Saturday, October 11, 2025, following the tragic and alleged suicide of IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar. They stated that this devastating event has profoundly “shaken the soul” of the entire nation.
A delegation of senior Congress leaders from both Haryana and Punjab, including prominent personalities like Randeep Singh Surjewala, Deepender Hooda, and Charanjit Singh Channi, visited Kumar’s wife, IAS officer Amneet P. Kumar, to offer their heartfelt condolences and support.
Fifty-two-year-old Y. Puran Kumar, a distinguished 2001-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, reportedly died by suicide at his Chandigarh residence in Sector 11 on Tuesday, October 7. Authorities have confirmed that a “final note” was discovered.
Speaking to the press in Chandigarh, Mr. Surjewala reiterated that the alleged suicide of such a high-ranking IPS officer has sent shockwaves across the nation. He described the incident as “heart-wrenching,” emphasizing the profound sadness and concern it has caused.
Surjewala questioned the state of justice in the country, asking how an ordinary citizen could expect fairness if a senior IPS officer could not secure it. He pointed out that if an officer of this stature is driven to suicide due to alleged caste discrimination and systemic bias, it speaks volumes about the prevalent conditions, particularly within Haryana.
The Congress leader further highlighted grave allegations, including an ADGP-rank officer being denied entry to a temple within a police station complex and the untimely rejection of his leave, preventing him from seeing his father before his passing. Surjewala noted that when Kumar officially documented instances of caste-based discrimination to the authorities, the government allegedly failed to provide any satisfactory response.
“These circumstances, we believe, ultimately compelled the police officer to take his own life,” Surjewala asserted.
Regarding the controversial decision to move Kumar’s body to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh without his family’s knowledge or consent, Surjewala unequivocally declared, “What transpired is inhumane and utterly unacceptable.” He labeled the act of relocating the body from the Sector-16 hospital mortuary without the explicit permission of Kumar’s wife and children as a “crime.”
“Are the officer’s two daughters to be denied even the fundamental right to see their father one last time?” he questioned passionately. “Does the government intend to refuse them this as well? Who authorized the relocation of the body from the Sector-16 government hospital? Will the government and its administration provide answers for these actions?”
Surjewala argued that if such disrespect could be shown to the family of a senior officer from the Dalit community, it paints a stark picture of the conditions faced by others across the nation.
“It is my earnest hope,” he concluded, “that the government will recognize the gravity of this situation and deliver swift justice to the grieving family of the fallen officer.”
Indeed, Kumar’s family had confirmed earlier on Saturday, October 11, that they were not consulted before his body was moved to the PGIMER.
Meanwhile, Mr. Hooda called for an immediate and impartial investigation. “Y. Puran Kumar was widely regarded as one of India’s most exceptional IPS officers,” Hooda stated. “If an officer of his distinguished caliber is driven to such an extreme step, one can only begin to comprehend the immense pressures and injustices he must have faced.”
He emphasized the nation’s demand for justice for the grieving family, asserting that this can only be achieved through an unbiased inquiry and the appropriate punishment of those responsible. “We stand in solidarity with the family during this profound hour of grief,” the Congress leader affirmed, “and we pledge to fight relentlessly until justice is fully served.”
Hooda stressed that this is not merely an issue concerning an officer from Haryana, nor is it confined to the states of Haryana or Punjab, or a specific community. “This is a matter that deeply affects the entire nation,” he declared.
Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also sharply criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) regarding the officer’s death, demanding immediate justice for his family. “Kumar dedicated his life to fighting for the rights of Dalits, and ultimately, he sacrificed his life,” Channi stated. “Despite five days passing, his family is still awaiting justice.”
Channi further alleged that high-ranking government officials have been consistently visiting Kumar’s home in Sector 24, purportedly attempting to pressure the family. “What the family seeks is clear,” he asserted. “They demand the arrest and punishment of those who drove him to suicide. We stand firmly with them and will continue this fight until justice is achieved.”
In a related development, representatives from the Scheduled Caste (SC) community informed reporters that a 31-member panel has been established. Its mission is to ensure that the legitimate demands and profound concerns articulated by Kumar’s family receive proper attention and action from the authorities.