On the Edge

Smruti Deshpande

During the budget session in March, the government informed parliament that 436 personnel died by suicide in the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles in the last three years. According to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the maximum number of suicides in the were reported in the CRPF (154) while 111 suicides were from the BSF.

Breaking down these numbers further, minister of state for home Nityanand Rai said in a written reply that of the 154 CRPF personnel, 54 died in 2020, 57 in 2021 and 43 in 2022. Of the 111 suicide incidents in the BSF, 30 personnel died in 2020, 44 in 2021 and 37 in 2022. Further in the CISF, 18 personnel died by suicide in 2020, 21 in 2021 and 24 last year. In the SSB, 18 personnel killed themselves in 2020, nine in 2021 and 13 in the last year. While in the ITBP, the number stood at 13 in 2020, 10 in 2021 and nine in the last year, in the Assam Rifles nine personnel died in 2020, 14 in 2021 and seven in 2022. In National Security Guard (NSG), two personnel died by suicide every year from 2020-23.

The government even gave a 10-year report which said that over 1,205 paramilitary troopers died by suicide in the last 10 years. The CAPF comprises forces such as CRPF, BSF, CISF, ITBP, BSF, NSG and Assam Rifles (AR). Together, the strength of these forces is nine lakh personnel.

Earlier, in February a taskforce constituted by the MHA and headed by VSK Kaumudi, the special secretary (internal security) in the ministry, stated that discrimination among sub-groups, trauma of being abused, bullying at workplace, fear of initiation of disciplinary or legal action, lack of