Chandigarh

Senior Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar allegedly shot himself dead at his Chandigarh home on Tuesday, officials said. The 52-year-old 2001 batch officer, known for his interventions in matters related to the rights of officers and seniority and other issues, had recently been posted as inspector general, Police Training Centre (PTC), in Sunaria, Rohtak.

His body was found in a room at the basement of the house with a gunshot wound, police said.

His wife Amneet P Kumar, an IAS officer and commissioner and secretary of the Department of Foreign Cooperation, Haryana government, is in Japan as part of a delegation led by Chief Minister Nayab Saini. She is expected to reach here on Wednesday.

Physical and electronic evidences, including the weapon, were seized by the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) team, they said.

According to the Chandigarh police, a "Will" and "Final Note" was also recovered and seized from the scene along with other evidences.

The note, according to sources, runs into nine pages.

Police rushed to the Kumars' home in upscale Sector 11 after receiving information about the incident around 1.30 pm.

"The SHO, Sector 11, and his team inspected the scene. A reported suicide had taken place... The body was identified as that of Y Puran Kumar, IPS officer," Chandigarh Senior Superintendent of Police Kanwardeep Kaur told reporters.

Asked if there was any suicide note, she had earlier said, "A team of the CFSL is inspecting the spot and investigations are on." Those present in the house at the time are being questioned, the SSP said.

Kumar was earlier posted as Rohtak Range IG and had recently been transferred as IG, PTC, Sunaria.

Meanwhile, the sources said that recently a liquor contractor had lodged a complaint against a police constable in Rohtak alleging that a bribe was being sought from him.

The constable was arrested on Monday by Rohtak police, they said.

A video, purportedly of the contractor, surfaced late Tuesday in which he is making the bribe allegations.

When sought clarification on claims made by some media reports that the arrested constable was associated with Kumar when he was Rothak Range IG, sources in the Haryana Police said, "Investigations into the allegations levelled by the contractor are underway".

Meanwhile, late Tuesday evening, Chandigarh police issued a statement about the incident involving Kumar allegedly shooting himself dead.

"An information of reported suicide was received by Police Station 11, Chandigarh at around 1.30 pm from Sector 11, Chandigarh. On receiving the said information, the police staff and senior officers of Chandigarh Police reached the spot. The deceased has been identified as Y Puran Kumar, IPS 2001 Batch, Haryana Cadre. The body was found in a room at the basement of the house with a gunshot wound," the statement said.

The body has been sent to the mortuary for post mortem, it said, adding that the CFSL team has videographed and photographed the entire scene.

The wife of the deceased is expected to return from her official visit on October 8, after which postmortem shall be got conducted by a board of doctors, the statement said.

Hailing from Andhra Pradesh, the IPS officer Kumar, who served in several Haryana districts including Ambala, Rohtak and Kurukshetra, was an engineering graduate. His retirement was due in May 2033.

Kumar is survived by his wife and two daughters, according to sources.

In recent years, the officer had been vocal about issues related to the representation of scheduled caste in police ranks.

During the parliamentary elections last year, Kumar had complained to the Haryana chief electoral officer on IAS and IPS officers holding multiple charges. He had also approached the state government alleging discriminatory and selective allotment of official vehicles to IPS officers in the state.

A few years ago he had accused a senior police officer of trying to humiliate and harass him on basis of caste. Kumar's death has left police and administrative circles in shock.

"The Haryana Police is deeply saddened and shocked by the untimely demise of Shri Y. Puran Kumar, IPS, Inspector General of Police, P.T.C. Sunaria.

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We stand with his family in this difficult time. May God grant peace to his noble soul," Haryana police said in a post on X in Hindi.