New Delhi:
Cases of suicide and fratricide are rising year by year in the central police forces. A task force appointed by the Union Department of the Interior has found that the causes include humiliation, harassment and furlough-related concerns.
In investigating the cases of suicides and fratricides among the CAPF and Assam Rifles, the Task Force found that the jawans are under increasing pressure. Officials said the draft report also counts harsh working conditions, criticism, humiliation at work and access to weapons among the top reasons for deaths.
Ministry data indicates that 1,205 jawans have committed suicide in the past 10 years – an average of 125 per year. The number has increased over the past five years. In 2018, 97 soldiers committed suicide. In 2019 it was 133, in 2020 149. In 2021 it will be 153.
“The effect of stress is more on jawans who work continuously in high-intensity tasks,” said a senior Union Ministry of Interior official.
The workload pattern has changed over the past 10 years, he said. An example, he said, are election duties.
Elections are held every year and a larger force is sent every year, adding to the burden. But there is no corresponding increase in the strength of the forces, so the same jawans are sent from one sensitive location to another.
“Jawans don’t even get time for training as they get engaged for at least three to four months in one election,” he said.
On Tuesday, the CRPF (Central Reserved Police Forces) advertised seeking a psychologist to deal with officers charged with VIP duties. A senior CRPF official said the recent assassination of an Orissa minister by his guard and the suicide of an assistant sub-inspector posted at the residence of intelligence agency director Tapan Deka triggered the move.
“Mental health parameters of commandos involved in VIP security units would be analyzed,” he said.
The CRPF is not the only body dealing with such cases. The Indo-Tibetan Border Police or ITBP also provides workshops for its staff.
An example of such a program is Nschay, conducted through videoconferencing by experts. According to him, “durbars” (town halls) are often organized and the buddy system is also strongly promoted.
“But the way heavy tasks have become routine, many problems remain unsolved,” said an ITMP employee.
Most of the jawans DailyExpertNews spoke to said there are few cases of suicide or fratricide in NSG and NDRF because rules are followed and even the work culture is different. “The jawans in these forces live together on campus and talk to each other, which lowers stress levels,” said one jawan.
The government, he suggested, should address these issues. “If even after such hardcore training, men in uniform are taking such extreme steps, then there is a cause that needs to be addressed urgently,” said another.
(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)
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