Rajya Sabha informed cases of suspected suicides in security forces

The Army reported 259 cases of suspected suicide from 2016 to 2018, while the Air Force and the Navy witnessed 56 and 19 such cases respectively during the same period, Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said in the Rajya Sabha on Monday. The Army also reported four cases of fratricide, the Air Force reported one and the Navy zero during 2016-2018.

In a written response to a question in the Rajya Sabha, Bhamre said in 2016, the Army reported 104 cases of suicide. The number dropped to 75 in 2017 and rose to 80 in 2018. The Air Force reported 19 cases of suspected suicide in 2016, 21 in 2017 and 16 in 2018. The Navy reported six cases of suspected suicide in 2016, five in 2017 and eight in 2018. Bhamre said various steps have been taken by the armed forces to create a healthy, appropriate environment for officers and personnel of other ranks.

He said some of the steps taken in this regard include the provision of better quality of facilities such as clothing, food, travel facilities, schooling, recreation and periodic welfare meetings, yoga and meditation for stress management, and training and deployment of psychological counsellors. A 'Mansik Sahayata Helpline' has been set up by the Army and the Air Force to take professional counselling, he added.

(With inputs from agencies.)