The alleged suicide of ADGP-level Dalit IPS officer Y Puran Kumar has unleashed a major political crisis for the Saini government in Haryana, raising troubling questions about the treatment of SC/ST officers, senior police accountability, and the central BJP government’s claims of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”.
Senior Officer’s Death Exposes Fault Lines
On October 7, Y Puran Kumar, ADGP of Haryana, was found dead from a gunshot wound in his soundproof basement at his Chandigarh residence. The incident occurred just as Kumar was set to take up a new assignment at Police Training Centre, Rohtak. Kumar, a 2001-batch IPS officer renowned for calling out caste-based discrimination, reportedly left a detailed suicide note and will in which he accused over a dozen senior officers—including DGP Shatrujeet Kapoor and Rohtak SSP Narendra Bijarniya—of harassment and humiliation on the basis of his caste.
While his wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, was away in Japan with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and other officials on an official government delegation, tragedy unfolded at home. Amneet Kumar returned to Chandigarh immediately after receiving the news and filed a formal complaint under the SC/ST Act and abetment to suicide provisions, demanding arrests of those named in her husband’s writings.
Government Response Under Scrutiny
The Saini government, already under pressure for not implementing robust safeguards against caste discrimination in the police force, is facing outrage for the delay in initiating credible investigations and meeting the demands of Kumar’s grieving family. The post-mortem and cremation are being withheld as the family insists on proper action and protection before allowing any further legal steps.
A six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by IG Pushpendra Kumar has been constituted to probe the suicide, but demands for arrests and security cover for the family remain unmet. Dalit organizations, national opposition leaders, and Kumar’s family are calling for immediate application of the SC/ST Act and action against all accused. Meanwhile, national Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Hooda, Surjewala, and Kumari Shailja, have reached out in solidarity, describing this as a watershed moment in the fight for Dalit rights in law enforcement.
Central Government’s Promised Equity Under Question
The BJP-led central government, which frequently champions “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas”—the inclusive growth slogan—now faces a reality where the integrity and dignity of leading Dalit officers are being threatened within the very institutions tasked to protect constitutional norms. The incident has sparked fierce debate on the effectiveness of these policies: if an ADGP rank Dalit officer is allegedly driven to suicide by institutional caste bias, what protection does the system really offer to less powerful SC/ST citizens?
With political, legal, and social questions mounting, the Saini government and central authorities are being pressed to act not just to resolve this single case, but to ensure no further recurrence and restore confidence among India’s marginalized communities. As protests gather pace and more leaders demand justice, the outcome of the investigation will likely define Haryana’s and India’s administration of equality and police reform for years to come.
