Haryana IPS officer's suicide ‘shocking’, says Sonia; Maya for independent probe

Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, in a letter to IPS officer Puran Kumar’s wife Amneet P Kumar, on Saturday termed the suicide “shocking and deeply painful”, even as BSP chief Mayawati demanded an independent probe into the causes leading to the death.

“The passing away of Y Puran Kumar reveals that even the highest-level officers can be denied social justice on account of discriminatory attitude and preconceived notions of the powers that be. Crores of Indians stand with you in your fight for justice,” Sonia wrote.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi also expressed concern over the suicide and the circumstances that drove the officer to take the step.

BSP chief Mayawati said the suicide due to “caste-based harassment” had “shocked” the country. Dalits and Bahujan communities were particularly agitated over the development, she said.

In a post in Hindi on X, Mayawati said: “This extremely tragic and serious incident is particularly shameful for a civilised government and proves that despite numerous claims, the scourge of casteism persists, especially in governance and administration, and that governments are failing to curb it.

“However, this is more a matter of government intentions and policies. This unfortunate incident deserves a timely, independent and impartial probe, and the perpetrators should be severely punished so that such painful incidents, which shame a civilised society, do not occur again.”

Mayawati said the BJP government in Haryana should treat the incident with utmost sensitivity and seriousness, and must not attempt to cover it up.

“The investigation should not be a mere formality as allegations have already begun to surface. It would be better if the Supreme Court and Centre also take cognisance of this incident,” she said.