Santosh Lathar, wife of Assistant Sub-Inspector Sandeep Kumar Lathar, who allegedly died by suicide on Tuesday, has appealed for an impartial investigation into her husband’s death. “My husband was very brave; he couldn’t have done this. I request the Haryana administration to ensure a fair probe. I have no other demand…he left from here,” she said, while talking to media, visibly emotional and her voice breaking down.
The body of Sandeep Lathar was found near a tubewell on the Rohtak–Panipat road earlier this week. The cyber cell officer left behind a suicide note and a six-minute video accusing late Inspector General Puran Kumar and his wife, senior bureaucrat Amneet Kumar, of corruption and alleging that he was pressured to take his own life. Puran Kumar, 52, had died by suicide on October 7 while posted at the Police Training Centre in Rohtak, after being transferred unexpectedly from his Rohtak range posting on September 29.
The suicide notes also reference the illegal detention of Puran Kumar’s PSO, head constable Sushil Kumar, who was reportedly held for five days and interrogated under pressure. Sources allege that Sandeep Lathar was involved in these events, which contributed to both deaths. The notes highlight broader systemic issues in Rohtak police, including harassment, extortion, and possible links to gangster networks.
The complaint also refers to a bribery case in which a liquor contractor alleged that Sushil Kumar sought Rs 2.5 lakh on behalf of IG Puran Kumar.
Based on Santosh Lathar’s complaint, the Rohtak police registered an FIR citing abetment of suicide and criminal conspiracy. A six-member special investigation team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the Puran Kumar case, while investigations into Sandeep Lathar’s death and alleged abetment continue.
Authorities have emphasised the probe will be thorough, given the serious allegations and the sequence of events linking the two suicides. Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur has been sent on leave, and Rohtak SP Narendra Bijraniya replaced.
Union Minister Manohar Lal Khattar visited the grieving family, assuring a government job for Lathar’s wife and support for the children’s education. He urged the public to avoid politicising or communalising the deaths, calling both incidents “very unfortunate.”
The case has drawn attention to systemic corruption, harassment, and possible caste-based discrimination within the Haryana police, as well as allegations of extortion and misuse of authority. Both deaths have raised serious questions about administrative practices and the pressures faced by officers in the Rohtak range.
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Published By:
Priyanka Kumari
Published On:
Oct 16, 2025
