All CMs have been asked to make the civil administration more responsive to the problems of serving soldiers and their families
The latest case of an Army jawan shooting his senior has once again raised the issue of psychological problems faced by security personnel in their high stress-level jobs. The Indian Army has lost nearly 500 personnel to suicides and fratricides in less than five years. Even though cases of fratricide or men killing their own people are rare, with one or two incidents being reported in a year, the cases of suicides have alarmed senior officials.
This year, there have already been 43 suicides in the Army, while in 2016 there were 101 cases, going past the figures of 78 in 2015, 84 in 2014, 86 in 2013 and 95 in 2012.
"The stress levels are highest among the Army as a majority of the personnel are deployed in conflict zones away from their families for long. Most of these cases have happened in forward areas and counter-insurgency operations," sources said.
There is also a high number of jawans undergoing treatment for psychological problems in the Army as compared to the Navy and Air Force, sources said.
While there have been 12 suicides in the Navy with no cases of fratricide, 50 Air Force officials have committed suicide since 2014 and in one incident in the same period, a personnel killed his colleague.
In the latest case, Major Shikhar Thapa was fired upon by a jawan who was in a fit of rage following an altercation between the two at Butcher post in the Uri sector.
Based on recommendations of the Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR) after it conducted a study on suicide and fratricide among troops deployed in counter-insurgency areas in 2007, the government had initiated a series of measures to manage the stress levels of personnel in the security forces.
Better man management and prompt attendance of grievances, improved accessibility of leaders and frequent interaction of junior leaders with the soldiers, a liberalised leave policy permitting splitting of annual leave and casual leaves and rotation of units and individuals to minimize exposure to pressure were some of the measures put in place to control the high stress among the troops.
All Chief Ministers were also asked to make the civil administration more responsive to the problems of serving soldiers and their families, but many of these suggestions have not been fully implemented on the ground.
Officials have also been trained as counsellors and in several areas efforts have been made to employ civil counsellors. Frequent counselling of those identified as vulnerable is also carried out.
THE RIGHT STEPS
- All CMs have been asked to make the civil administration more responsive to the problems of serving soldiers and their families.
- Officials have also been trained as counsellors and efforts have been made to employ civil counsellors.
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