Chandigarh, 14 Oct

A Haryana Police assistant sub-inspector on Tuesday allegedly died by self-inflicted gunshot in Rohtak district, leaving behind a six-minute purported video and a three-page suicide note levelling corruption allegations against the late IPS officer Y Puran Kumar. The veracity of the video and the statement could not be immediately verified.

Police sources said ASI Sandeep Kumar played a role in the arrest of head constable Sushil Kumar, an aide of Puran Kumar who was an IG in Rohtak district and was found with a gunshot wound in his Chandigarh home last week.

The body of the ASI, who was posted in the cyber cell, was recovered from his residence on the Ladhaut-Dhamar Road in Rohtak.

His alleged suicide comes in the backdrop of the escalating controversy over the death of Puran Kumar, who left behind a purported note accusing eight officers, including DGP Shatrujeet Kapur and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijarniya, of "blatant caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment, public humiliation and atrocities".

While the government has sent the DGP on leave, Bijarniya has been transferred.

Police is yet to comment officially on Sandeep Kumar's note or the video.

"Sandeep shot himself," a senior police official from Rohtak said over the phone.

"ASI Sandeep was a very hardworking and an honest person in our department. We received information that a body has been found after which we reached here," Rohtak Superintendent of Police SS Bhoria told reporters at the incident site.

Asked about the video and the note, he said, "To say anything at this stage is difficult... the forensic team is investigating."

Sandeep Kumar levelled serious allegations against Puran Kumar in the purported video, saying even Bhagat Singh made sacrifices and walked a difficult path after which the country awakened.

"And today, this country will awaken when we sacrifice ourselves on path of truth," he is heard as saying while claiming that "honest officer" Narendra Bijarniya had confronted Puran Kumar.

Puran Kumar's name had cropped up in a bribery scandal recently.

A liquor contractor in Rohtak filed a bribery case against head constable Sushil Kumar. He alleged Sushil Kumar sought a bribe of Rs 2.5 lakh in Puran Kumar's name (when he was posted there).

Sushil Kumar was arrested recently.

Puran Kumar, 52, had recently been posted as inspector general, Police Training Centre (PTC), in Sunaria, Rohtak.