Rahul Gandhi: Haryana Officer’s Death Shows Dalits ‘Can Be Crushed’

The tragic death of a senior Haryana police officer, Y Puran Kumar, has ignited a massive political and social storm, with Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, emphatically demanding immediate action from the central and state governments. Following a visit to the deceased officer’s family in Chandigarh on Tuesday, Gandhi delivered a powerful condemnation of what he termed “systematic discrimination,” stating that the incident sends a chilling message to the Dalit community: “No matter how successful you are, if you are Dalit, you can be oppressed and crushed.”

IPS Officer Y Puran Kumar, a 2001-batch officer of the ADGP rank, was found dead with a gunshot wound at his residence on October 7. The controversy escalated sharply with the recovery of an eight-page “final note” purportedly left by the officer. In the note, Kumar, who belonged to the Mala community (a Scheduled Caste), allegedly accused several senior officers, including the Haryana Director General of Police (DGP) Shatrujeet Kapur, of “blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities.”

A Demand for Accountability and Respect

Speaking to the media after meeting the officer’s wife, senior IAS officer Amneet P. Kumar, and his two daughters, Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini to act immediately.

“This is not just about one family,” Gandhi asserted. “This is about Dalits across the country. They are getting the wrong message: that no matter how successful, intelligent, or capable you are, if you are a Dalit, you can be suppressed and thrown out. This is not acceptable for us.”

The Congress leader demanded the immediate arrest of the officers named in the note and the initiation of swift action, emphasizing the immense pressure and lack of dignity being faced by the bereaved family. He reminded the media that the Haryana Chief Minister had previously committed to a “free and fair inquiry,” a commitment the family believes has not been fulfilled.

Political Pressure Mounts

The incident has put the BJP-led Haryana government under intense scrutiny, particularly from Opposition parties like the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), who have framed the death as a stark example of caste-based prejudice within high-ranking administrative institutions.

Following the mounting political pressure and the family’s refusal to consent to a post-mortem or cremation until their demands were met, the Haryana government on Tuesday sent DGP Shatrujeet Kapur on leave. Earlier, another officer named in the note, Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, was transferred.

However, the family and the ‘Justice for Y. Puran Kumar’ committee remain unsatisfied, demanding immediate arrests and the inclusion of all accused officers’ names in the FIR under the stringent provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The officer’s body has remained in the mortuary since his death, highlighting the family’s unwavering stand for justice.

The Chandigarh Police have formed a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the alleged suicide. However, the political chorus, now amplified by the high-profile intervention of the Leader of the Opposition, indicates that the demand for swift accountability in this sensitive case will continue to be a dominant national issue.