‘Act against officers’, Rahul Gandhi to PM Modi, Haryana CM after meeting family of Puran Kumar

Chandigarh: Describing it as a tragedy and sensitive matter, Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to fulfil commitments to the family and act against the officers responsible for caste-based discrimination with Haryana IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar, who committed suicide on October 7 in Chandigarh.

After meeting the family of Puran Kumar here, Congress MP Gandhi said, “It is a tragedy. He was an IPS officer. Haryana CM assured the family that justice would be done, but three days have passed with no action. Y. Puran Kumar has two daughters who have lost their father and are under immense pressure. It sends a wrong message to crores of Dalits that no matter how successful or intelligent you are, you can be suppressed. My message as LoP (Leader of Opposition) to the PM and Haryana CM is to fulfil the commitment given to the daughters, allow the funeral, end this drama, and act against the officers exerting pressure on the family,” he said.

Gandhi said the couple is a Dalit and “one thing is clear that there was systematic discrimination for years to demoralise this officer and to damage his career and his reputation by other officers”.

The Congress leader further said, “It’s a sensitive matter. He (the DGP who has been sent on leave) is a serving officer. We all know how pressure can be exerted on them. Action must be taken, and arrests should be made, as this case (against Puran Kumar) was falsely framed. The family wants dignity. They say he was disrespected and his career was targeted, but at least give him respect after his death. This is not just about one family, but about Dalits across the country. I want to tell the PM and the Haryana CM to act now,” Gandhi was categorically clear in saying.

Hours after Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur was sent on leave amid the controversy surrounding Puran Kumar’s suicide, Om Parkash Singh was given additional charge of the Director General of Police. The government had sent State DGP Kapur on leave amid the demand of Kumar’s family for action against him and other officers for harassing him (Puran Kumar).

Puran Kumar’s wife is yet to give consent for the autopsy of her husband’s body, saying “powerful, high-ranking officials of Haryana are involved in the case”.

Eight days after the suicide, the body is lying in a mortuary. Stalemate continues between Puran Kumar’s wife and the state government over the demand for the arrest of DGP Kapur and the ousted Rohtak Superintendent of Police Narendra Bijarniya.

IANS