Under Fire After Dalit IPS Officer's Suicide, Haryana BJP Govt Sends DGP on Leave, PM's Rally Cancelled

Chandigarh: Facing growing criticism over the suicide of senior IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Haryana on late Monday (October 13) night sent director general of police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapoor on leave. Later on Tuesday (October 14), 1992 batch IPS officer Om Parkash Singh was assigned the additional charge of DGP Haryana during the leave period of Kapoor.

The action comes just before Lok Sabha leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi is supposed to meet the family of the deceased officer in their Chandigarh residence on Tuesday.

In another development, a BJP rally on October 17 in Sonipat, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi was to address to mark one year of the third term of the BJP government in Haryana, too stands cancelled.

The preparations for the rally were in full swing with chief minister Nayab Singh Saini even holding multiple review meetings, including one earlier in the day.

While no reason has been attributed for the changed plans, it was being speculated that the situation in the state following the officer's suicide was not conducive for the PM's visit.

The situation remains tense in the state ever since 2001 batch IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar allegedly committed suicide on October 7, alleging caste discrimination and humiliation by his superiors.

Nearly a week after his suicide, there is no breakthrough in the impasse over the officer’s autopsy and cremation as the family continues to demand the suspension and arrest of erring officials including state DGP Kapoor and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya for allegedly abetting the officer’s suicide.

It remains to be seen how the family of the deceased officer reacts to the latest development. Now that the state DGP has been sent on leave, the next test of the state government is to persuade the family for an autopsy.

The 48-hour ultimatum given by the 31-member Y. Puran Kumar Nyay Sangharsh Morcha formed in consultation with the deceased’s family is to end on Tuesday. All eyes will be on their next course of action in wake of the latest developments.

The Morcha had on Sunday (October 12) announced that they would take to the streets and launch a widespread movement following democratic principles, if the government failed to take effective action against the accused officials including the state DGP within the stipulated time.

BJP's allies demand action against erring officials

Till now, the state government was yet to take any action against the DGP but the mounting pressure from opposition as well as allies is believed to have pushed the decision.

After BJP's ally from Bihar and Lok Janashakti Party (LJP) chief and Union minister Chirag Paswan openly came out in support of the deceased officer’s family, another another NDA member and Union minister, Ramdas Athawale, who is the president of the Republican Party of India (RPI), met the Kumar's family in Chandigarh on Monday and demanded action against erring officials. He also met the Haryana CM after his meeting with family members.

“For the last nine and half years, I have been part of the Narendra Modi government. I came here today as a minister of social justice and empowerment, and since I also belong to a Scheduled Caste group… The entire country’s SC community is awaiting action in this case,” Athawale told the media outside the deceased officer’s residence.

What further mounted pressure on the state government was the announcement by Congress that leader of opposition Gandhi will visit Chandigarh on October 14 to meet Kumar's family. Union minister Paswan is also set to meet the family on Tuesday afternoon.

Political analysts say that the BJP’s lack of prompt action for the situation escalated it to this level. The Saini government’s guarded response about the case since the beginning only intensified the controversy, enabling the opposition parties to seize the narrative and mount a sustained attack on the Haryana government.

If you know someone – friend or family member – at risk of suicide, please reach out to them. The Suicide Prevention India Foundation maintains a list of telephone numbers they can call to speak in confidence. Icall, a counselling service run by TISS, has maintained a crowdsourced list of therapists across the country. You could also take them to the nearest hospital.

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