Chandigarh/Panchkula, Oct. 12 -- The Haryana government on Saturday transferred a senior police officer, while the Chandigarh Police invoked stringent provisions of the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act in connection with the alleged suicide of IPS officer Y Puran Kumar, amid mounting pressure from the deceased's family and opposition parties. In his first public comments on the case, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini said the guilty would be punished "irrespective of their official posts," as he assured Kumar's family of justice. As per an official order, the state government transferred Rohtak Superintendent of Police (SP) Narendra Bijarniya, one of 14 current and former senior officials named by Kumar. Kumar (52), a 2001-batch IPS officer, was found dead with a gunshot wound at his Chandigarh residence on October 7. In a "final note", the Haryana Inspector General of Police (IGP) accused 14 senior officers, including incumbent state DGP Shatrujeet Singh Kapur and Bijarniya of prolonged caste-based discrimination, targeted mental harassment and humiliation. "The [new] posting orders [of Bijarniya] will be issued separately," the order said, announcing IPS officer Surinder Singh Bhoria as his replacement. On Thursday, the Chandigarh Police booked 11 of the accused under charges of abetment and SC/ST Act sections. However, Kumar's wife, senior bureaucrat Amneet P Kumar, accused the UT Police of invoking "weaker" provisions of the Act and refused to permit an autopsy of his body "until justice is delivered." Chandigarh IG Pushpender Kumar said that the amended FIR now includes Section 3(2)(v) of the SC/ST Act, which allows for stricter punishment when an offence is committed due to a person's caste and results in grievous injury or death. "Whoever commits any offence knowing that such person is a member of a Scheduled Caste or a Scheduled Tribe or such property belongs to such member, shall be punishable with imprisonment for life and with fine," the section states. Earlier, police had invoked Section 3(1)(r) of the Act, which deals with "intentionally insulting or intimidating with intent to humiliate a member of a Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe in any place within public view," carrying a maximum punishment of five years' imprisonment. His family however, were yet to give permission for an autopsy. According to people familiar with the matter, family sources, Puran Kumar's wife, Amneet, informed the police that their two daughters wanted to see the body and pay their last respects before the post-mortem was conducted. The family also requested that a ballistic expert and a magistrate be included in the medical board overseeing the autopsy. However, the police reportedly misunderstood this as consent to proceed with the post-mortem and took the body to PGIMER from the Government Multi-Speciality Hospital in Chandigarh early in the morning. "They have shifted the body without asking us. Injustice is being done to us. Five days have passed since a DGP-level officer died, but we have not got justice yet," Kumar's brother-in-law and AAP MLA Amit Rattan said. Speaking on condition of anonymity, another relative said: "The go-ahead for the autopsy will be given only after arrest of DGP Kapur and SP Bijarniya." Kumar's death has also triggered a political slugfest with top leaders from different opposition parties reaching out to his family. Congress Parliamentary Party chairperson Sonia Gandhi wrote to Kumar's wife, expressing condolences. "The passing of Mr Y Puran Kumar is a reminder to us that even today, the prejudiced and biased attitude of those in power deprives even the most senior officials of social justice. I and millions of people of the country stand with you on this path to justice," she said in the letter. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann met Kumar's family on Saturday and urged the Centre and Haryana government to ensure justice. "I met the Governor and requested his intervention. As the Chandigarh Administrator, he should bring the officers and the family together for a discussion. I will also speak to the Haryana Chief Minister. It is now evident that a particular community is being deliberately targeted as part of a conspiracy," he said. Congress MP Deepender Hooda, who also met Kumar's wife, called for an impartial probe. "A fair and independent investigation is only possible if no one can influence it. Therefore, the monitoring of the constituted SIT should be done by the Supreme Court," he said. On Friday, the Chandigarh Police constituted a six-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to ensure a "prompt, impartial and thorough investigation" into the case. The Haryana Congress also called for protests across party headquarters in the state. "A senior officer who served with complete honesty was mentally broken to such an extent that he felt he had no path left. This is not merely a personal tragedy--it is a reflection of the insensitivity of the entire system," state unit president Rao Narender Singh said in a letter to party workers and district units. Chief minister Saini countered the Opposition's allegations, urging parties not to politicise the issue. "I had said that we will probe it (the matter), and after investigation, whoever is found guilty, action will certainly be taken against him - no matter how big a person he may be. We are also in touch with the Centre for the resolution of this issue," he said while addressing party workers in Panchkula. Saini had earlier visited Kumar's wife and assured her of justice....