Police recovered a lengthy suicide note—reportedly 12 to 16 pages—addressed to Punjab DGP Gaurav Yadav, detailing severe financial distress from an alleged online fraud amounting to ₹8.10 crore. Authorities are verifying the contents and investigating the cyber scam claims.
Patiala SSP Varun Sharma confirmed teams responded immediately after reports of a gunshot. “We rushed to the spot and provided assistance,” he said.
Chahal, who had lived in Patiala since retirement, faced charges in the 2015 Behbal Kalan and Kotkapura police firing incidents in Faridkot, where two protesters died during demonstrations over Guru Granth Sahib desecration.
In February 2023, a Punjab Police Special Investigation Team, headed by ADGP LK Yadav, filed a chargesheet naming Chahal alongside former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, ex-DGP Sumedh Singh Saini, and other senior officers.
The cases stemmed from protests in October 2015, when police opened fire on crowds in Kotkapura and Behbal Kalan, killing Gurjeet Singh and Krishan Bhagwan Singh.
Chahal's death marks a tragic end for a senior officer long entangled in those controversial events. Police have launched a probe into the circumstances, including the fraud allegations that apparently drove him to despair.
