New Delhi: The alleged suicide of senior Haryana Police officer Y. Puran Kumar has continued to stir political reactions, with Congress leader Sonia Gandhi on Saturday expressing condolences to the bereaved family and condemning what she called the “prejudiced and biased attitude of those in power”.
In a letter addressed to Amneet P. Kumar, the late officer’s wife and a senior IAS officer in Haryana, the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson wrote, “The news of the tragic death of your husband and senior IPS officer, Mr. Y. Puran Kumar, in a tragic accident is both shocking and deeply saddening. My heartfelt condolences to you and your entire family in this time of immense difficulty.”
Amneet P. Kumar has accused top officials of subjecting her husband to caste-based harassment and mental torture, alleging that the sustained campaign pushed him to take the extreme step.
In her letter written in Hindi, Sonia Gandhi said, “The passing of Y. Puran Kumar will remind us that even today, the prejudiced and biased attitude of those in power deprives even the most senior officials of social justice. I and millions of our countrymen stand with you on this path to justice.”
She added, “I pray to God to grant you patience, courage, and strength in this difficult situation.”
Earlier, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati also reacted sharply to the incident, calling it a matter of national shame. In a post on X, she said the incident reflected the caste-based discrimination that continues to exist within India’s administrative system and noted that it had caused deep grief and outrage among Dalit and Bahujan communities.
Y. Puran Kumar, who was serving as an Inspector General in the Haryana Police, was found dead at his residence in Chandigarh on October 7 in what police described as an alleged case of suicide. A note recovered from the scene reportedly mentioned caste-based harassment by senior colleagues, triggering widespread controversy and calls for an impartial investigation.