Stringent SC/ST Act Invoked In Haryana IPS Officer's Suicide Case

Chandigarh, Oct 12 - In the wake of the alleged suicide of Haryana IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar, police have added charges under the stringent SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act to the FIR, following demands from the officer's wife, Amneet P. Kumar. Amneet Kumar, a senior IAS officer, had earlier written to the police, asserting that the initial FIR contained "diluted sections" of the SC/ST Act and needed to be amended to include the "relevant provisions". Specifically, she requested the inclusion of Section 3 (2) (v) of the SC/ST Act, deeming it the most appropriate section applicable to the case. Chandigarh IG Pushpendra Kumar, who heads the six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the suicide case, confirmed on Sunday that Section 3 (2) (v) of the Act has been invoked in the FIR.

Y. Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch IPS officer, was found dead at his Chandigarh residence on Tuesday with a gunshot wound. In an eight-page "suicide note," he reportedly accused nine serving IPS officers of the Haryana Police, a retired IPS officer, and three retired IAS officers of "caste-based discrimination". According to a batchmate, Puran was often referred to as the "Dalit boy who could get on your nerves," and the incident was described as "simply casteist and resulted in his death".

The inclusion of the SC/ST Act charges marks a significant development in the case, which has drawn considerable attention and sparked outrage. Section 3(2)(v) of the Act provides for life imprisonment if the offense is motivated by caste. The initial FIR cited Section 3(1)(r), which carries a minimum six-month jail term, extendable to five years, and a fine. The FIR is also registered under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for abetment to suicide, which allows for a maximum sentence of 10 years.

Prior to the addition of the SC/ST Act charges, Amneet Kumar expressed dissatisfaction with the FIR, citing missing names and incomplete details. She demanded that the accused be named in the FIR, specifically mentioning Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, and requested their immediate arrest. She also alleged dilution of SC/ST Act charges and sought copies of crucial notes. The Chandigarh Police's initial FIR, which was based on a 'final note' by the deceased police officer, had charges under Section 108 read with 3(5) (abetment of suicide) and 3 (1) (r) of the Prevention of Atrocities (POA) SC/ST Act.

The Haryana government had already transferred Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya, one of the officers against whom Amneet Kumar sought action for allegedly abetting her husband's suicide. Surinder Singh Bhoria has been appointed as the new Rohtak SP.

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has assured strict action against anyone found guilty in the suicide probe, regardless of their influence. He stated, "No matter how influential the culprit may be, they will not be spared".

The post-mortem of Y. Puran Kumar has been put on hold after his family alleged that they were not informed about his body being shifted to the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) from Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH). The family had earlier refused to allow the post-mortem until their demands were met, including the arrest of the Haryana DGP and Rohtak SP.