IPS officer’s suicide shadows Haryana govt’s 1-yr celebration; PM Modi was to address rally

A 2001-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Kumar allegedly shot himself dead on October 7.

A grand event planned in Sonipat on Friday to celebrate one year of the Nayab Singh Saini government has been postponed amid escalating tensions over the suicide of IPS officer Y Puran Kumar.

According to a report by The Times of India, Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi was scheduled to address the 'Jan Vishwas-Jan Vikas' rally. The decision to postpone the event was taken after the CM and chief secretary Anurag Rastogi chaired a review meeting at the Sonipat venue.

After the meeting, the CM left for New Delhi by road, where he was scheduled to stay overnight and meet dignitaries the following day. He was also slated to attend a programme in Nuh on Tuesday. However, Saini cut his trip short midway and returned to Chandigarh later that night.

Protests over the IPS officer’s suicide, along with growing support of opposition parties and Dalit pressure groups for his wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, had overshadowed the planned event.

"Officers were supposed to attend a briefing by central officers from SPG and other agencies (for the PM's visit). We have been informed to put it on hold. We are awaiting final official confirmation," a senior govt official told TOI on Monday night.

A 2001-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Kumar allegedly shot himself dead on October 7.

In an eight-page final note purportedly left behind by Kumar, he accused eight senior IPS officers, including now-transferred Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, of "blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities".

The event was overshadowed by rising tensions surrounding the IPS officer’s suicide, along with his family’s allegations that caste-based harassment by senior officials had driven him to take his own life.

For over six days, the family has refused to give consent for an autopsy. The top brass of Haryana govt, including chief principal secretary to chief minister Rajesh Khullar, have met the family but the deadlock persists as Amneet demands action against Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur.