A month on, SIT yet to make headway in IPS Officer Y Puran Kumar’s death

Nearly a month after the tragic death of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, the investigation into his alleged suicide remains sluggish, with the Special Investigation Team (SIT) showing little progress or transparency.

Crucial testimonies — including that of Kumar’s daughter, who discovered his body — have yet to be recorded, while former Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, whose name has surfaced in the controversy, has not been summoned for questioning.

A senior SIT official confirmed that the team is still awaiting the statement of Kumar’s daughter. “The family requested that her statement be taken after her school examinations,” the officer said, adding that it may be recorded this week. “Statements of the domestic staff have already been taken.”

The initial days following the officer’s death were marked by a tense standoff between the family and authorities. Kumar’s relatives refused post-mortem examination until the suspension and arrest of DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and SP Bijarniya, alleging harassment and professional humiliation. Both officers were later sent on indefinite leave by the Haryana Government to ensure a fair probe.

The SIT was constituted thereafter, with a major part of its inquiry revolving around an FIR registered in Rohtak on October 6, a day before Kumar’s death. The details of this FIR — considered central to understanding the events leading to the suicide — remain undisclosed.

Despite nearly three weeks since the post-mortem examination, the SIT is yet to issue a single press briefing or update on findings, including those related to the post-mortem report, the Rohtak FIR, or its possible connection to the suicide.

Meanwhile, forensic analysis has confirmed that the suicide note was typed on Kumar’s confiscated laptop on the same day he took his life. “The digital evidence matches the timeline of the suicide,” the SIT official said. However, the laptop remains in police custody despite a written request by Ameet P Kumar for its return. “It is a key piece of evidence and cannot be released at this stage,” police said.

Officials from Chandigarh Police acknowledged procedural delays in obtaining relevant records and documents from Haryana Police and the state government, which has slowed progress. The SIT is reportedly scrutinising the Rohtak FIR and related files to establish a clear link between the case and Kumar’s suicide.

Although statements of several officers have been recorded, Bijarniya has not yet been called for questioning, sources confirmed.

Kumar’s family has consistently alleged that systemic harassment and humiliation pushed the officer to take the extreme step. It was only after several rounds of persuasion by senior officials that the family consented to a post-mortem examination.

During the standoff, a number of political leaders — including Rahul Gandhi, CM Nayab Singh Saini, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and several SC/ST organisation representatives — visited the family’s Sector 24 residence in Chandigarh to express solidarity.