India, Oct. 13 -- First, a disclaimer. Columnists rely largely on published accounts, not personal knowledge, while writing their pieces. It is seldom possible to verify every fact or investigate every incident before the deadline closes in. But sometimes, a story is so disturbing that silence becomes an act of complicity.

On Tuesday this week, when I read about the alleged suicide of a senior IPS officer in the "City Beautiful," Chandigarh, I was shocked. How could a 52-year-old officer with eight more years to superannuation - till May 31, 2033 - end his life so abruptly?

The NDTV report that followed offered only a few grim details: Haryana's Inspector General of Police, Y. Puran Kumar, had shot himself dead at his residence. He left...