A taskforce comprising senior officers constituted just a few months again by the Home Ministry to look into instances of suicide within the central armed police forces (CAPFs) may even put together a complete report on incidents of fratricide, through which seven BSF personnel have been killed in two days, officers mentioned on Monday.
The panel will put together a “case study analysis and recommendations” not just for instances the place troops take the acute step of taking their lives but in addition with regards to the concentrating on of comrades-in-arms by a trooper.
The previous few incidents of fratricides that befell in these forces might be taken under consideration, sources advised PTI.
The committee has been holding conferences, the most recent was final week.
“The work is in progress,” an official aware of the event mentioned.
A draft report will first be ready and circulated among the many CAPFs for his or her ultimate feedback, following which it is going to be submitted to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), a second official mentioned.
The taskforce is headed by IPS officer VSK Kaumudi, the particular secretary (inside safety) within the residence ministry, with a particular/extra director normal rank officer every from the BSF, ITBP, CISF, SSB and Assam Rifles because the members of the panel .
CRPF DG Kuldiep Singh earlier headed the panel when it was constituted in December final yr.
Seven BSF personnel have been killed in two separate fratricide incidents that befell in Punjab and West Bengal on Sunday and Monday respectively.
PTI had first reported in December that the duty power has been requested to attract 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.”
According to the December 2021 information shared by the federal government in Parliament, a complete of 25 fratricide incidents have taken place within the CAPFs throughout 2019-2021.
The highest variety of these incidents befell within the CRPF (11) adopted by the BSF (9). The information didn’t say the variety of deaths that befell in these incidents.
Government information up to date until August final yr confirmed a complete of 680 CAPF or central paramilitary forces personnel died by suicide within the final six years.
These numbers are over 700 now, a senior officer mentioned.
The taskforce was requested by the Union residence ministry to establish threat elements like “previous suicidal try by the trooper, impulsivity as a character trait, psychological sickness, alcohol or drug abuse, aggressive tendencies, acute emotional crises, acute extreme bodily sickness or continual bodily sickness, acute irritating life occasions amongst others.”
They have been to additionally discover 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 examine situations the place troops take the acute step of ending their lives .
The panel of officers may even undergo “protective factors” just like the personnel having a powerful relationship with members of the family; expertise in problem-solving and battle decision; private, social and non secular beliefs and connections to spirituality.
It has been instructed by the house ministry that the taskforce may even look into the points of enhancing consciousness about suicide prevention, insurance policies to cut back the dangerous use of alcohol and medicines, and the significance of psychological well-being, and so forth.
The panel may even devise plans to “screen” suicidal concepts or plans earlier than and after a personnel avails depart.
It may even take a look at coaching personnel to establish “vulnerable” colleagues and methods to deal with points associated to sure stigmas or taboo topics.
A senior CAPF officer mentioned the difficulty of “frequently taking out CAPF companies from duty areas for the conduct of polls and for a variety of law and order duties was also taking a toll on the mental peace of personnel as those left behind had to fill in for those who have been sent away”.
The CAPFs have a mixed energy of over 10 lakh personnel and their troops are deployed in assorted climates- with temperatures starting from 50 levels to as little as minus 40 levels.
They not solely guard Indian borders but in addition undertake counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency and anti-Naxal operations throughout distant and constantly cellular deployments.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
