CRPF tops in suicide cases among central security forces

The maximum number of 'firing on colleagues' (fratricide) cases -- three -- were also reported in Central Reserve Police Force comprising close to three lakh personnel, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

The CRPF was closely followed by Border Security Force (BSF) with 36 cases, Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) with 11 cases and the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) with ten cases.

The other forces like Assam Rifles recorded eight cases, Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) four cases and the National Security Guard (NSG) had two such incidents this year.

"The causative factors in most of the cases were found to be generally the personal and domestic problems like marital discord, personal enmity, mental illness and depression among others and were not related to the forces as such," Minister of State for Home Jitendra Singh said in a written reply to the Lok Sabha.

Similarly, two fratricide cases each were reported in the SSB, BSF while one each was reported in Assam Rifles and the CISF. "The corrective steps being taken by the government are regulating duty hours to ensure adequate rest and relief, grant of entitled leave to the needy personnel, provision of recreational facilities, providing opportunities for team sports and games, training in yoga and meditation, organising talks by doctors and other specialists, regular interaction with personnel by senior officers among others," Singh said.