Haryana IPS Officer Y Puran Kumar Cremated After Week-Long Standoff, Wife Hopes for Impartial Probe into Suicide

Eight days after he allegedly shot himself dead, Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar was cremated in Chandigarh on Wednesday following an autopsy at the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER).The cremation took place at the Sector 25 cremation ground amid emotional scenes. Mourners, including family members, friends, and police personnel, raised slogans in Kumar’s memory. His police uniform and cap were placed on the coffin before he was consigned to flames, and a police contingent offered a gun salute.Among those present were Haryana Director General of Police O P Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sumita Misra, and several senior officers and politicians from across parties. Representatives from Dalit organizations

also attended the ceremony, while security personnel were deployed in large numbers around the cremation site.Kumar’s wife and senior IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, along with their two daughters, paid their last respects before the final rites were performed.

Postmortem Follows Family’s Consent

The cremation came after days of stalemate over the postmortem. The family had earlier resisted the procedure, demanding a fair and impartial probe into Kumar’s death. The consent was finally given after assurances from the Chandigarh Police and the Haryana government.In a statement, Amneet Kumar said she agreed to the postmortem after receiving commitments from authorities that a transparent and professional investigation would be conducted and action taken against any “erring officials.”“In view of the assurance extended by the UT Police for conducting a fair, transparent, and impartial investigation, and the commitment conveyed by the government of Haryana to take appropriate action against any erring officials in due course of law, I have consented to the conduct of the postmortem examination of late Sh. Y Puran Kumar, IPS,” she said.She added that she had “full faith in the judiciary and the police authorities” and hoped the investigation would be completed in a “professional, impartial, and time-bound manner” so that “the truth emerges in accordance with law.”Amneet Kumar said she would continue to cooperate fully with the investigating team so that the process was expedited and “justice is served at the earliest.”

PGIMER Conducts Autopsy Under Supervision

PGIMER said the autopsy was carried out by a duly constituted medical board following all procedures. The hospital stated that the postmortem report would be handed over to the investigating officer of the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Chandigarh Police.The police earlier said the process was recorded through videography and photography. A ballistic expert was also present, and the procedure took place under the supervision of a magistrate to ensure transparency.After the autopsy, the body was taken to the family’s residence in Sector 24 before being transported to the cremation ground in a funeral van bearing Kumar’s photograph in his police uniform.

Officer’s Allegations Before Death

Kumar, 52, a 2001-batch IPS officer, allegedly shot himself at his private residence in Sector 11 on October 7.An eight-page note purportedly left behind by him accused eight senior IPS officers of caste-based discrimination, mental harassment, public humiliation, and atrocities.The note has since become a key piece of evidence in the ongoing investigation. The Chandigarh Police has constituted an SIT to probe the case, and Haryana authorities have said they will take action once the findings are complete.(With PTI inputs)