Haryana ASI found dead in Rohtak amid row over IPS officer’s death

Chandigarh: A Haryana Police assistant sub-inspector (ASI) allegedly shot himself dead at his home in Rohtak on Tuesday, leaving behind a purported six-minute video and a three-page note accusing the late IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar of corruption. The authenticity of the video and the note has not yet been verified.

Police sources said ASI Sandeep Kumar, who was attached to the cyber cell, had played a role in the arrest of head constable Sushil Kumar, an aide of Puran Kumar, who was serving as inspector general in Rohtak and was found dead with a gunshot wound at his Chandigarh residence last week.

Sandeep Kumar’s body was found at his residence on the Ladhaut–Dhamar Road in Rohtak. His alleged suicide comes amid growing controversy over the death of Puran Kumar, a senior Dalit IPS officer, who had reportedly left behind a note accusing eight officers, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, of “blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities”.

Following the IPS officer’s death, the Haryana government sent DGP Kapur on leave and transferred SP Bijarniya.

Police have not yet issued an official statement on the contents of Sandeep Kumar’s note or video. “Sandeep shot himself,” a senior police official from Rohtak said.

Rohtak Superintendent of Police S. S. Bhoria told reporters at the scene, “ASI Sandeep was a very hardworking and an honest person in our department. We received information that a body has been found after which we reached here.”

Asked about the alleged note and video, Bhoria said, “to say anything at this stage is difficult… the forensic team is investigating.”

In the purported video, Sandeep Kumar made serious allegations against Puran Kumar and referred to the sacrifices of Bhagat Singh, saying, “And today, this country will awaken when we sacrifice ourselves on path of truth.” He also claimed that “honest officer” Narendra Bijarniya had confronted Puran Kumar.

Puran Kumar’s name had recently surfaced in a bribery case after a liquor contractor in Rohtak accused head constable Sushil Kumar of demanding a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh in the IPS officer’s name. Sushil Kumar was arrested soon after.

Puran Kumar, 52, had recently been posted as inspector general at the Police Training Centre (PTC) in Sunaria, Rohtak.