Abetment to suicide case registered in Rohtak ASI ‘suicide’ incident

The Haryana Police has registered an abetment to suicide case in connection with the death of ASI Sandeep Kumar Lathar based on the note and video he left behind, a senior police official said on Thursday.

Kumar, who was posted in the cyber cell in Rohtak, allegedly shot himself dead on Tuesday. He left behind a ‘final note’ that levelled corruption allegations against the late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, who also served in the same district.

In a six-minute video, the ASI also referred to Inspector General (IG) Puran Kumar’s wife, senior Haryana bureaucrat Amneet Kumar. He has also alleged that during the then IG’s tenure, transfers of employees posted at the IGP office were made keeping caste in consideration.

After family's consent, ASI Sandeep Lather's post-mortem conducted at Rohtak PGIMS

IPS Puran Kumar’s family could not be immediately contacted for their comments.

The FIR, which lists abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy, was registered on Wednesday after a complaint by Sandeep Kumar’s wife.

After the postmortem examination was conducted by a board of doctors in PGIMS Hospital, Rohtak, Sandeep’s mortal remains were taken in a police vehicle to his native town in Jind district’s Julana. Many motorcycle-borne youths carrying the Tricolour escorted the bedecked police vehicle.

The last rites were held in the presence of a large number of people, including those from his village, and political leaders cutting across party lines.

Haryana Ministers Krishan Lal Panwar, Ranbir Gangwa, Mahipal Dhanda, Shruti Choudhry, state BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli, Congress MP Deepender Hooda, and Congress MLA Vinesh Phogat were among those who paid their last respects.

Minister Shruti Choudhry, while speaking to reporters, said on behalf of the government and the administration, that she wants to assure that justice will be served in the case and action will be taken. The chief minister visited the family (of the ASI in Rohtak) on Wednesday, she said.

“We stand with the family,” she said.

State DGP OP Singh, who was present at the cremation, consoled Sandeep’s family, including his children.

ASI Sandeep’s minor son, struggling to hold back his tears, said he was always proud of his father and added he would fulfil all his dreams. The deceased cop’s daughter, who also spoke briefly with reporters in Julana, said, “My father gave his life in the fight against corruption, he is a martyr... I have faith that Haryana police and the government will support us.”

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has assured the ASI’s wife a job and that the studies of his children would be taken care of, Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said after visiting the grieving family in Rohtak on Thursday.

He termed the alleged suicides of Puran Kumar, whose last posting was as Inspector General of Police Training Centre, Sunaria in Rohtak, and that of Sandeep Kumar, a week later, very unfortunate.

“Unfortunately, in the first incident, some political leaders tried to give it a political and caste colour which was not appropriate,” he said, referring to Puran Kumar’s death on October 7.

“This second incident (Sandeep Kumar’s death) has taken place. I appeal to both the families and the society members as well not to turn this issue into a matter of community or caste, nor allow any politics over it,” he said.

In the six-minute video and the suicide note, Sandeep Kumar, who was posted in the cyber cell in Rohtak, alleged that Puran Kumar killed himself “to avoid family humiliation” and that the assets of his family should be probed.

Puran Kumar, 52, was found dead with a gunshot wound at his Chandigarh residence. His last rites were held in Chandigarh on Wednesday.

On the other hand, Sandeep Kumar’s body was recovered from a relative’s makeshift room in a field along the Ladhot-Dhamar road in Rohtak on a Tuesday.

Haryana DGP OP Singh, while speaking to reporters in Karnal earlier in the day, said, “Two lives were lost. Both were our colleagues. We are mulling what needs to be done so that this situation does not arise in future.”

“One thing which we are seriously considering is that Officers’ Wives Association Institute in the state police will be further strengthened,” he said.

Concrete steps are being contemplated to involve the families of the police personnel as they act like “shock absorbers” for any work-related stress, Singh said.

According to police sources, ASI Sandeep Kumar played a role in the arrest of head constable Sushil Kumar, who was IG Puran Kumar’s PSO.

The deceased IG’s name came up in a bribery scandal recently.

The case pertained to a bribery complaint filed by a liquor contractor against head constable Sushil Kumar. The contractor alleged that Sushil Kumar had sought Rs 2.5 lakh in the name of Puran Kumar when he was posted in Rohtak.

Kumar, a 2001-batch IPS officer, was known for his interventions in matters related to the rights of officers, seniority and other issues.

The Chandigarh Police has constituted a six-member special investigation team to probe the Puran Kumar case.