The number of psychiatric patients in the Central Armed Police Forces has increased by nearly 38% from 3,584 in 2020 to 4,940 in 2022, the Union government told Parliament on Wednesday. More than 65 personnel from the Central Armed Police Forces and Assam Rifles died by suicide from 2018 to 2022.
Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai gave the data in response to a question posed by Rajya Sabha MP Rakesh Sinha. The CAPFs – such as Border Security Force (BSF), Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police Force (ITBP), Assam Rifles (AR) and Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) are availing services of psychiatrists, clinical psychologists and counsellors in liaison with other government and medical institutions. “There are five psychiatric doctors in ITBP, four in BSF, three in CRPF and one each in SSB and AR,” Rai said.
From 2018-2022, 230 personnel took their lives in CRPF, 174 personnel in BSF, 91 personnel in CISF, 65 personnel in SSB, 51 personnel in ITBP and 47 personnel in AR. When asked what corrective measures were being taken, Rai said that required cases are referred to specialists in well-equipped hospitals for detailed investigations.
"Periodic follow-up is done, records of each personnel’s health is kept and reviewed from time to time. Yoga has been made a part of physical training to reduce stress and anxiety, paramedical staff at the unit level identify cases at the earliest and initiate early intervention and treatment. Stress counselling of personnel is being carried out at all levels as well as at Border Out Posts (BOPs),” he added.
Taking note of the rising suicides in CRPF, the Deputy Inspector General (Welfare) had last month sent an action plan to all sector headquarters which included conducting programmes on mental health awareness, financial literacy and appointing a family liaison officer in each unit/ company.
The CRPF also sought to hire a professional psychologist to analyse various mental health parameters of its VIP security unit commandos. The officials said more such professionals could be engaged in the future for its other specialised and regular units that are engaged in combat theatres like anti-Naxal operations, counter-terrorist offensive in Jammu and Kashmir and counter-insurgency tasks in the north east states.
