'Sends wrong message to Dalits': Rahul demands justice for Haryana IPS officer's family; urges PM, CM to act

Lok Sabha Opposition Leader Rahul Gandhi urges Prime Minister and the Haryana Chief Minister to take immediate action following the death of Haryana police officer Y Puran Kumar. Speaking to reporters after meeting the Kumars family, Gandhi stressed that the issue affects all Dalit families. He also alleged that Kumar faced systematic discrimination intended to demoralise him and damage his career. After landing at the airport here, Gandhi reached Kumar's residence in Sector 24 at 11:08 am to offer his condolences. Gandhi paid floral tribute to the late IPS officer and spoke with the bereaved family. The former Congress president's visit came amid stepped-up attacks by the opposition on the Haryana government over Kumar's alleged suicide. Criticising the state government, Gandhi said the Haryana CM had failed to honour his commitment to a free and fair inquiry, adding that the officers suicide sends the wrong message to Dalits. Wife of Shri Puran Kumar ji is a serving officer and we all know how pressure can be put on them. Therefore, in this case, action should be taken as soon as possible, action should be taken against the guilty officers and they should be arrested, he said adding, No matter how successful you are, if you are Dalit, you can be crushed. My message as LoP to PM and Haryana CM is fulfil commitment to daughters of IPS Puran Kumar, let his funeral take place, he said. Dalit IPS officer's death: Family declines police access to laptop, cites lack of trust in probe A 2001-batch Indian Police Service (IPS) officer, Kumar allegedly shot himself dead on October 7. In an eight-page Final Note, Kumar accused eight senior IPS officers, including Kapur and Bijarniya, of caste-based discrimination, mental harassment, public humiliation, and abuse of authority. Gandhi was accompanied by former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Haryana Congress chief Rao Narender Singh, party leaders Kumari Selja, B K Hariprasad, Deepender Singh Hooda and Varun Chaudhry. Various political leaders cutting across party lines have been visiting Kumar's family in Chandigarh to express their condolences. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modis proposed visit to Sonipat on October 17 for the first anniversary celebrations of the Nayab Singh Saini-led BJP government has also been cancelled. While no official reason has been given for the cancellation, sources said the situation following the IPS officers suicide was not conducive for the PMs visit. In addition, Sainis visit to Nuh for the state-level Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti celebrations on Tuesday has also been called off. Amid the stalemate over the autopsy of Haryana-cadre IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, the Haryana government has sent DGP Shatrujeet Kapur on leave . The decision comes just days after Narendra Bijarnia, the then Superintendent of Police (Rohtak), was transferred and remains without a posting. Dalit IPS officers death: Haryana transfers Rohtak SP, family refuses autopsy