Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka (L) and Y Puran Kumar (R).
Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka demanded the immediate arrest and legal action against the Haryana DGP and SP who were named in the suicide note of Additional DGP, Y Puran Kumar. He strongly criticised the silence of both the Haryana government and the Central government, stating that they had failed to suspend or take action against the officers accused in the suicide case of Haryana-cadre Telugu IPS officer Y Puran Kumar.
He said both Haryana and Chandigarh come under the jurisdiction of the BJP-led Central government, and therefore, the Prime Minister and the Home Minister must fulfill their constitutional responsibilities. On Monday, Bhatti Vikramarka visited Chandigarh and met the family of Puran Kumar, who had recently died by suicide, allegedly due to caste-based discrimination and mental harassment by senior officers.
During the visit, Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy spoke over the phone with Kumar’s wife, IAS officer Amneet, to express his condolences and solidarity with the bereaved family. Both the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister assured that the Telangana government would stand firmly by Puran Kumar’s family.
Bhatti said that after learning of the tragic incident, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy immediately contacted the bereaved family and deputed him (Bhatti) to personally visit and console them. He described Puran Kumar as a man of exceptional talent who had studied engineering at Osmania University, pursued higher education at IIM, and went on to serve as an IPS officer in Haryana. “His death is not only an irreparable personal loss to his family but also a great loss to the entire system,” Bhatti said, adding that the issue was not political but a matter of human rights.
Speaking to the local media later, Bhatti Vikramarka said that Puran Kumar had served as Additional DGP in Haryana and had also worked in the highly prestigious Research and Analysis Wing (RAW). He was a highly accomplished officer who received Presidential medals for his exemplary service. “It is deeply shocking that such a brilliant officer chose to end his life on the 7th of this month,” he said.
Referring to the suicide note left by Kumar, Bhatti stated that the deceased officer had clearly mentioned two officers DGP Kapoor and SP Narendra accusing them of continuously humiliating and harassing him. “When there is such direct evidence, shouldn’t the government act immediately as per the law?” he questioned.
However, it has been seven days since the incident, and neither the Haryana government nor the Chandigarh police have taken any action against the accused, which is extremely worrying, the Deputy Chief Minister said. He added that even the post-mortem had not been conducted so far, and Kumar’s aged mother, wife, and daughters were not even allowed to see his body — an act of sheer cruelty and inhumanity. “This is a gross violation of basic human rights,” he said.
He expressed anger that one of the accused, Kapoor, already had previous allegations of caste discrimination against him, yet the government continued to retain him as DGP, calling it “shameful.”
“Even a centenarian wishes to live longer. People struggling between life and death on hospital beds plead with doctors to save them. In such a world, for a senior IPS officer to say he can’t live anymore and take his own life — imagine the unbearable pain and humiliation he must have suffered,” Bhatti said. “If an IPS officer cannot be protected, what hope is left for ordinary citizens?” he asked.
He pointed out that human rights and civil society organizations have been protesting and demanding justice for the past week, yet the government has remained inactive. “Based on the suicide note, the Chandigarh police should have immediately taken action and arrested the accused. Why haven’t they done so?” he questioned.
“Puran Kumar studied engineering at Osmania University, Hyderabad, and pursued higher education at IIM before serving as an IPS officer in Haryana. He was a man of great talent. His death is not only an irreparable personal loss to his family but also a great loss to the entire system,” Bhatti said.
“This is not a political issue — it is a human rights issue. Every individual in this country has the right to live, and no one can deny that right,” he emphasised. “The Congress Party will never tolerate such injustice and will not remain silent,” he said.
He demanded the immediate arrest and legal action against DGP Kapoor and SP Narendra, who were named in Puran Kumar’s suicide note. “That is the minimum responsibility of the government,” he said. “The family — his wife, mother, and two daughters — must be given full protection and justice. Delayed justice is equivalent to denied justice,” the Deputy CM asserted.
“This is a moral test for our democracy,” he added.
AICC SC Cell Chairman Koppula Raju, Chandigarh Congress President HS Lucky, and Constitution Committee Chairman Dr. Vinay accompanied the Deputy Chief Minister during his visit.