Chandigarh: Senior Haryana IPS officer Y. Puran Kumar, a 2001 batch officer, was cremated on Wednesday, October 15, in Sector 25, Chandigarh, nine days after his tragic suicide. The final rites took place following the completion of the postmortem, which was conducted at PGIMER, Chandigarh, under the supervision of a special medical board.
His body was handed over to the family after the forensic process, and a solemn funeral procession began at 3:00 p.m. from his Sector 24 residence. A large number of police personnel, administrative officers, political leaders, and the general public gathered to pay their last respects. The cremation took place around 4:00 p.m., with full police honours.
Daughters Perform Last Rites; Leaders, Officials in Attendance
In a deeply emotional moment, Puran Kumar’s two daughters lit the funeral pyre, as their mother and senior IAS officer Amneet P. Kumar, along with family, colleagues, and friends, stood in mourning.
The funeral was attended by several high-ranking dignitaries, including Cabinet Ministers Krishna Lal Panwar and Shyam Singh Rana, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Mishra, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, and Acting DGP OP Singh. Also present were MLAs Nirmal Singh, Ashok Arora, and Pooja Chaudhary, among others.
Postmortem Conducted Under High Security, Videographed
Earlier in the day, PGIMER Chandigarh conducted a detailed postmortem examination under tight security. The process began after the body was identified by the family around 9:40 a.m. and lasted approximately four hours. A magistrate was present throughout, and the entire procedure was videographed and photographed to ensure transparency.
According to a PGIMER spokesperson, the postmortem report will be submitted to the six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Chandigarh Police.
Suicide Note Sparks Legal and Political Storm
Puran Kumar, aged 52, had died by suicide on October 7 in his official bungalow in Chandigarh. In a suicide note recovered from the scene, he had alleged mental harassment and caste-based discrimination by senior officers, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur, an IPS officer of 1990 batch, and then Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, an IPS officer of 2015 batch.
Following these revelations, the Haryana government registered a case under abetment to suicide and relevant sections of the SC/ST Act. Amid mounting pressure and protests by civil society and the officer’s family, DGP Shatrughan Kapoor was sent on leave earlier this week, paving the way for the postmortem and final rites to proceed.
Family Demands Justice, Agitation Continues in Chandigarh
Amneet P. Kumar, speaking to the media, said, “I consented to the postmortem after receiving assurances from the Chandigarh Police of a fair and transparent investigation, and the Haryana government’s assurance of appropriate action against any culpable officer. I hope justice will be served soon.”
Despite the Haryana government’s actions, the Nyay Sangharsh Morcha (Justice Struggle Front), which has been leading protests, announced that their agitation will now focus on pressuring the Chandigarh administration to take swift action in the case.
A march from Matka Chowk to Punjab Raj Bhavan was also scheduled for Wednesday afternoon by the Morcha, as part of their ongoing campaign to ensure accountability and justice.
