Suicide Among CAPF Personnel

• 06 Jan 2025

For Prelims: Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), Army, Navy, Air Force, New Pension Scheme (NPS), Old Pension Scheme (OPS), Rath Yatra, Mental Health Championship Program.  

For Mains: Suicide among CAPFs and prevention strategy.  

Source: TH 

Why in News? 

The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) has successfully reduced its suicide rate by 40%, from 25 deaths in 2023 to 15 in 2024. 

• According to data from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), 654 Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) personnel died by suicide between 2018 and 2022.  
  • There were 230 suicides in the CRPF, 174 in the BSF, 89 in the CISF, 64 in the SSB, 54 in the ITBP, 43 in the Assam Rifles, and 3 in NSG. 

 

Note: According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data 2022, the national suicide rate stood at 12.4 per lakh in 2022. 

• The suicide rate is the number of suicides per 1,00,000 people in a given population. 

What are the Reasons for Suicide Among CAPFs? 

• Stressful Deployments: Personnel are often stationed in hostile regions such as Naxal-affected areas and conflict zones like Jammu and Kashmir without sufficient breaks. 
  • Lack of "peace postings" akin to the Army exacerbates mental fatigue. 
    • Peace postings means stationing of troops in relatively stable and non-hostile environments, as opposed to conflict zones or high-tension areas like borders or insurgency-affected regions. 
• Family Separation: Long durations away from families result in emotional strain and difficulties in addressing family issues like land disputes or financial management. 
  • More than 80% of troops those who died by suicide were reported after they returned home from leave. 
• Mental Health Challenges: Seeking psychological help is stigmatized in the forces, with limited mental health support systems. 
  • Suicide attempts are lower among female personnel, as males often avoid sharing problems due to fear of peer ridicule. 
  • Many people consider the Army, Navy, and Air Force as “real” forces leading to further demotivation among the CAPF troops. 
• Career Progression Issues: There is limited scope for promotions among CAPFs. Personnel have had to serve in the same post for as long as 10 years in some cases. 
  • Higher ranks are reserved for IPS officers and CAPF personnel feel dejected contributing to mental stress. 
• Lack of Job Satisfaction: Army personnel have access to Army hospitals in major cities for their families' health and treatment, and their families enjoy a broader selection of products from Army canteens compared to CAPF personnel.  
  • CAPFs are under the New Pension Scheme (NPS) with lower payouts compared to the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) for armed forces personnel. 
• Access to Firearms: Easy access to service weapons increases the risk of impulsive acts during periods of distress. 

 

Why Suicide Rate is Higher Among CRPF Personnel? 

• Statistics: MHA data shows that there were 36 suicides in the CRPF in 2018, rising to 40 in 2019, 54 in 2020, and 57 in 2021. The numbers dipped to 43 in 2022. 
• Over Reliance on CRPF: State police forces often lack the resources, manpower, and training to handle crises, forcing the CRPF to step in.  
  • The CRPF ensures free and fair elections and maintains order at events like Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra and Rath Yatra in Odisha. 
  • This adds to the workload and reduces opportunities for rest. 

What are Government Initiatives to Address Suicides Among CAPF Personnel? 

• Task Force Formation: A task force was set up by MHA in December 2021 to identify risk factors, prevention strategies, and conduct research on suicides in CAPFs. 
  • It has identified 3 main risk factors contributing to suicides in CAPFs i.e., working conditions, service conditions, and personal/individual issues. 
• E-Leave Systems: The CRPF's SAMBHAV app enables personnel to apply for leave instantly, with leave approval processed through the e-leave portal. 
• Mental Health Support: The CRPF has brought in mental health counselors to support the emotional well-being of troops. 
  • In CRPF, pairs of personnel are assigned as “buddies” to monitor and support each other, acting as an early warning system for mental health concerns. 
  • CISF launched the Mental Health Championship Program for supervisors to identify early signs of mental health issues. 
    • CISF's initiatives are supported by Project Mann, a mental health helpline providing 24/7 tele-counseling and in-person sessions. 
  • BSF partnered with AIIMS, New Delhi to provide counselling services, with dedicated budgets allocated. 
• Family-Centric Interventions: Cases of depression and mental illness are closely monitored, with efforts to allow family members to stay with affected personnel. 

Way Forward 

• Workload Management: Ensure that personnel are stationed in peaceful, non-hostile environments periodically to reduce stress. 
  • Train state police forces and increase manpower to handle law enforcement crises effectively so that CAPFs aren’t overburdened. 
• Job Satisfaction: Improve promotion opportunities within CAPFs by creating clearer pathways for advancement and ensuring that senior positions are not exclusively reserved for IPS officers.  
• Family Support Programs: Allow more opportunities for family members to live with personnel or provide family visits during assignments.  
• Policy Support: Ensure that existing policies around mental health care, leave systems, and career progression are more flexible to accommodate the unique challenges faced by CAPF personnel. 
• Skill Development: Provide on the job training to CAPF personnel to earn a dignified living post retirement. E.g., beekeeping, mushroom cultivation etc. 

Drishti Mains Question: 

What factors contribute to high suicide rates in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs), and how can these issues be addressed?

 

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)   

Prelims 

 Q. What is “Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD)”, sometimes seen in the news? (2018)

(a) An Israeli radar system 

(b) India’s indigenous anti-missile programme 

(c) An American anti-missile system 

(d) A defence collaboration between Japan and South Korea. 

Ans: (c)