Panchkula: In response to recent alleged suicides involving an IPS officer and an assistant sub-inspector, Haryana DGP O.P. Singh on Tuesday firmly stated that the morale of the state’s police force remains unaffected. Singh was addressing reporters on the sidelines of Police Commemoration Day.
He acknowledged the profound sadness over the loss of two colleagues, IG Y. Puran Kumar (52) and ASI Sandeep Kumar, who passed away on October 7 and October 14 respectively. However, the DGP emphasized that the perception on social media often differs from the actual situation within the force.
“There are two worlds these days — one social media world and another, the real world. There is no problem in the real world. Whatever is happening is on social media,” Singh commented when asked about the impact of these incidents on police morale.
He further stated, “We are deeply saddened that our two colleagues, who still had years of service and would have served the people and the nation, are no more. But this is a police force, our fight goes on… We are here to protect people. Do we have the option to sit down and lose morale? There is no loss of morale.”
Y. Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch IPS officer, was found with a gunshot wound at his Chandigarh residence on October 7. ASI Sandeep Kumar allegedly committed suicide in Rohtak a week later, reportedly leveling corruption allegations against Puran.
During the Police Commemoration Day event, DGP Singh also paid floral tributes to fallen police personnel at the ‘Police Martyrs Memorial’. He underscored the importance of remembering and supporting the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the nation.
Police Commemoration Day is observed annually to honor Central Reserve Police Force personnel killed in an ambush by Chinese troops in Ladakh’s Hot Spring area on this day in 1959.