Just a week after the suicide of IPS officer Y Puran Kumar in Chandigarh, another Haryana police officer, ASI Sandeep Kumar Lathar, was found dead under similar circumstances in Rohtak, heightening concerns about alleged corruption in the police force. The 41-year-old officer from Jind’s Julana village reportedly shot himself with his service revolver in a room at Ladhot village, near his duty station. A video and note attributed to Lathar emerged online, where he implicated the deceased IPS officer Puran Kumar and stated he was taking this step ‘for honesty.’ Rohtak SP Surendra Singh Bhoria confirmed that a forensic examination is in progress to authenticate the materials.
In the six-minute video, Lathar claimed that Puran Kumar took bribes to remove names from criminal cases, including murder, and denounced corruption within the police system. This follows the earlier suicide of Puran Kumar, who had accused senior officers, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur, of caste-based harassment. His wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, also alleged institutional pressure on him. Lathar’s video dismissed any caste-related motive and connected both deaths to corruption within the department. He referenced his involvement in a recent case where a constable was caught extorting money allegedly on behalf of Puran Kumar. The incidents have sparked political outrage, with leaders such as Rahul Gandhi visiting the family of the IPS officer.
Gandhi described it as a troubling indication for Dalit officers, while the Haryana government, led by CM Nayab Singh Saini, has placed the DGP on leave and vowed to take strict measures. Many political and social leaders, including Ramdas Athawale, Kumari Selja, Chandrashekhar Azad, and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, have shown support for Puran Kumar’s family, which is demanding justice before proceeding with the cremation.
