Chandigarh, October 13 — The Punjab Congress on Monday announced candle marches across the state in protest against the alleged caste-based harassment that led to the suicide of senior Haryana-cadre IPS officer Y Puran Kumar. The move comes a day after Dalit groups held a large congregation in Chandigarh demanding justice in the case.
Kumar, an IPS officer posted in Haryana, was found dead at his Sector 11 residence in Chandigarh on October 7. Police said he shot himself and left behind an eight-page suicide note alleging caste-based humiliation and harassment by senior IPS and IAS officers. His wife, Amneet P Kumar, an IAS officer, has demanded that Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and others named in the note be booked as accused.
Punjab Congress chief Amrinder Singh Raja Warring escalated the party’s attack on the BJP government in Haryana, demanding Kapur’s arrest. “Remove the DGP, handcuff him and put him behind bars,” Warring said, alleging that caste-based bias and systemic discrimination drove Kumar to take his life.
He further said the Chandigarh Police, which functions under the Union Home Ministry, had failed to include all the names mentioned in the suicide note in the FIR. “If a senior Dalit IPS officer cannot get justice, imagine the plight of ordinary Dalits,” Warring said. “This is a reflection of how the BJP uses caste and religion to divide society for political gain.”
Former Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also weighed in, blaming what he called the “Manuvadi ideology” for Kumar’s death. “This isn’t an isolated case,” Channi said. “Dalits have been repeatedly subjected to bias and discrimination under the BJP, which draws inspiration from the Manusmriti — a text that has historically promoted inequality.”
In response, the BJP hit back, accusing the Congress and the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab of exploiting the tragedy for political mileage. “The parties whose own credentials on Dalit rights are questionable are pointing fingers at the BJP,” said Vineet Joshi, head of the BJP’s Punjab media cell. “They are turning a sensitive issue into a political one for their vested interests.”
Meanwhile, the Punjab Congress said Monday’s statewide candle marches were intended to express solidarity with Dalit communities and demand accountability from the Haryana government. Party leaders said they would continue pressing for a fair investigation and justice for the deceased officer.
Police said the investigation into the case is ongoing, with statements from Kumar’s family and colleagues being recorded to corroborate the allegations made in his final note.
