Dual suicides in Haryana Police: SC/ST Act being exploited to cover up corruption?

A shocking twist emerged on 14 October 2025 in the suicide probe of Haryana-cadre IPS officer Y Puran Kumar when Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) Sandeep Kumar, tasked with investigating the case, committed suicide in Rohtak, accusing the late officer of corruption and exploiting his Scheduled Caste (SC) status. 

Sandeep Kumar, 42, shot himself near an agricultural field in Ladhot village, leaving a three-page note and video claiming Puran "hijacked the system" through caste-based favouritism, sidelining honest officers. 

The two suicides have intensified scrutiny on caste dynamics in Haryana Police, with Puran’s wife, IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, alleging that reservation policies disadvantage upper-caste officers, fostering resentment, while Sandeep’s note accuses Puran of misusing the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act (SC/ST Act). 

The case, with FIRs under the SC/ST Act and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi decrying inaction, questions whether affirmative action veils systemic inequities against upper castes.

Sandeep Kumar’s suicide and allegations

Sandeep Kumar, posted in Rohtak’s cyber cell, was found dead on 14 October, hours after recording a video alleging Puran’s corruption: “He used his SC status to shield graft, replacing honest officers like SP Bijarnia with loyalists.” His note claimed Puran feared exposure, triggering his own suicide. 

Rohtak Police filed an abetment to suicide FIR, seizing Sandeep’s phone for forensics. His family demanded a CBI probe, alleging pressure from Puran’s kin. 

Puran Kumar’s suicide, wife’s claims

Police have added new charges to the FIR filed in the suspected suicide case of Haryana IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, following a request from his wife to incorporate the "relevant provisions" of the SC/ST Act. Among other points, senior IAS officer Amneet P Kumar, who is Puran Kumar's spouse, previously communicated to the police that the "diluted sections of the SC/ST Act in the FIR should be revised," asserting that Section 3 (2) (v) of the Prevention of Atrocities against Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Act was the "appropriate section applicable" in this matter.

Chandigarh IG Pushpendra Kumar, who leads a six-member Special Investigation Team assigned to the 'suicide' case, confirmed on Sunday that Section 3(2)(v) of the Act has been included in the FIR.

The family of Puran Kumar has not yet agreed to the autopsy, pending the satisfaction of their demands.

On Saturday, the Haryana government transferred Rohtak superintendent of police Narendra Bijarniya, one of the officers named by IPS officer Y Puran Kumar's wife for allegedly contributing to his suicide.

In an official directive, IPS officer Surinder Singh Bhoria was designated as the new Rohtak SP and took charge immediately. The posting order for Bijarniya will be issued at a later time.

In her correspondence to SSP Kanwardeep Kaur, Amneet insisted that the accused be identified in the FIR, specifically naming Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya.

The initial FIR filed by the Chandigarh Police, based on a ‘final note’ left by the deceased officer, included charges under Section 108 in conjunction with 3(5) (abetment of suicide) and Section 3(1)(r) of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Amneet’s complaint on Wednesday demanded the immediate arrest of Kapur and Bijarniya.

The SC/ST section pertains to instances where an individual who is not a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe deliberately insults or intimidates with the intent to humiliate a member of a SC/ST in any public setting.

The added Section 3 (2) (v) of the Act pertains to any offence under the Indian Penal Code (45 of 1860) that is punishable by imprisonment for a duration of 10 years or longer. Such offenses committed against a person belonging to the SC/ST community shall incur a penalty of life imprisonment along with a fine. 

Reverse discrimination debate

Members of the upper castes have held for ages that affirmative action—22.5% SC/ST quotas per 2024 DoPT data—disadvantages non-reserved groups. A 2024 Supreme Court ruling capped quotas at 50%, yet upper-caste forums like Haryana Brahmin Sabha argue “token” SC/ST postings erode opportunities. Sandeep’s note counters that Puran exploited SC status, sidelining upper-caste officers like Bijarnia. 

Expert Ashwini Deshpande notes: “Reservations correct historical wrongs, but poor implementation fuels perceptions of reverse bias.”

Data shows SC representation in IPS rose from 8% (2010) to 15% (2025), but upper-caste selection rates remain higher (70% vs 40% for SCs, per UPSC 2024). On X, #CasteBiasInBureaucracy trended, with posts like: “Puran’s death, Sandeep’s note—caste policies trap everyone.” 

Government and political response

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini sent Kapoor on leave on 13 October, promising a “fair probe.” Ministers secured Amneet’s autopsy consent on 14 October. Rahul Gandhi slammed inaction: “No arrests send wrong signals to Dalits.”

The BJP’s state spokesperson, Deepak Kaushik, demanded a CBI probe, alleging “caste cover-up.” A Rohtak mahapanchayat gave a 48-hour DGP ouster ultimatum post-Sandeep’s death.