Suicidal tendency among troopers deployed in the left Wing Extremism (lWE) States including Chhattisgarh is causing grave concern among the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) top brass.
There had been a rise in the cases of suicide, heart attacks and malarial deaths among CRPF personnel deployed in insurgency-hit areas of the country.
“It’s a serious issue and all kinds of efforts are being made to ensure such incidents are not repeated. Yoga sessions are held on regular time intervals to bring stress levels of security personnel down. Moreover, counselling of personnel identified under depression is also carried out by experts to prevent suicide in the force,” said CRPF Inspector General (Chhattisgarh Sector) Sadanand Vasant Date.
To deal with health related issues, medical screening of every jawan will be carried out (work in this direction has already begun) and based on findings of medical examination, further medication is being carried out, he said.
The reasons of rising casualty among troopers could be working long in inhospitable terrain, family issues, issued related to leave sanctions or sometimes even homesickness, believe experts.
As many as 323 CRPF personnel died in 10 lWE affected states between 2009 and 2014 whereas suicide claimed 228 lives and at least 108 CRPF troopers lost their lives due to malaria, reveales data of Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).
Similarly, around 642 personnel were reported to have died due to heart attack during the same time period, it pointed out. According to a senior officer, several steps are being being taken to check suicidal tendency among CRPF personnel deployed in insurgency infested areas in the country which include leave applied by personnel are granted timely, field officers are instructed to encourage troopers to come out with their problems/grievances so that it could be dealt/disposed of effectively on time and proper infrastructure is provided for recreational activities.
Moreover, latest weaponry, special equipment and various protective gears are provided to the troops deployed in operational areas and others and such steps are being taken to check depression among security personnel.
Besides, several moves have also been initiated to check malarial deaths and to deal with heart related ailments among CRPF personnel, added the officer. Apart from CRPF, suicidal tendency was also recorded in troopers belonging to Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) and District Force (DF) deployed in Maoists-hit areas of Chhattisgarh and outside.