Task force for prevention of suicides by CAPF

The Union Home Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that it has set up a task force to suggest remedial measures for the prevention of suicides and fratricides in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF).

• As many as 436 CAPF personnel died by suicide in the past three years.

• A total of 135 personnel committed suicide in 2022, 157 in 2021 and 144 in 2020.
• It was also found that currently there are 84,866 vacancies in the CAPFs.

• Recruitment of 31,785 personnel in CAPFs has been done in the past five months.
• Major Vacancies: There were 247 positions for doctors that were lying vacant and the number of unfilled posts for nurses and other medical professionals stood at 2,354.

The function of the Taskforce:

• Analysing behavioural aspects: The task force will draw a plan to identify relevant risk factors and protective factors at the individual level; look at the existing and futuristic protective factors and study prevention strategies and also conduct research and interact with domain experts.
• To identify the reasons for Suicide: Most times the issues that lead to stress and instances of suicide among the troops are related to problems they face back home while some are related to service conditions and leaves.
• Suggestion asked for remedial measures: The task force has also been asked to find if any changes or modifications can be done in the deployment pattern of the troops and some way in which access to mobile phones can be limited during deployment phases to check instances where troops take the extreme step of ending their lives.
• Spreading awareness of consequences: The task force also looks into the aspects of improving awareness about suicide prevention, policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol and drugs, the importance of mental well-being etc.

Government Interventions:

Various steps have been taken by the Armed Forces to create a healthy/appropriate environment for their Officers and Other Ranks.  Some of these steps are as under:-

• Provision of better quality facilities such as clothing, food, married accommodation, travel facilities, schooling, recreation etc. and periodic welfare meeting.
• Conduct yoga and meditation as a tool for stress management.
• Training and deployment of psychological counsellors.
• Institutionalization of projects ‘MILAP’ and ‘SAHYOG’ by the Army in Northern & Eastern Command to reduce stress among troops.
• A ‘MansikSahayata Helpline’ has been established by Army & Air Force to take professional counselling.
• Mental Health Awareness is provided during pre-induction training.
• Formation of Military Psychiatry Treatment Centre at INHSAsvini and establishment of Mental Health Centres in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Port Blair, Goa and Karwar.