Sonia condoles ex-CBI director Ashwini Kumar's demise, hails him as outstanding officer

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday condoled the demise of former CBI director Ashwini Kumar, who was found hanging at his residence in Shimla, and hailed him as an outstanding officer who took his responsibilities with utmost seriousness.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday condoled the demise of former CBI director Ashwini Kumar, who was found hanging at his residence in Shimla, and hailed him as an outstanding officer who took his responsibilities with utmost seriousness. Kumar, who led the Aarushi murder investigation, was found hanging at his residence in Shimla on Wednesday, and officials suspect he died by suicide.

The body of Kumar (69), a 1973-batch IPS officer, was found hanging at his residence in Brockhurst near Chhota Shimla in the evening, they said. In a letter to Kumar's wife A K Chandak, Gandhi said, "Words are of little consolation at this time of grief, but I wanted to tell you that I share your pain. May you, your son and your 'bahu' (daughter-in-law) find the strength to bear your cruel loss." "Ashwini Kumar was an outstanding officer with the highest standards, both professionally and personally. He took his responsibilities and duties, both to his job and his family, with the utmost seriousness, and was ready to make any sacrifice to uphold these. He lived his life with honour," the Congress chief said.

Kumar was an excellent officer in every post he held, and he was widely admired and respected, Gandhi said. "We mourn his loss and will always honour his memory," she added.