More CRPF, BSF, SSB Personnel Died by Suicide Than in Encounter in Last 6 Years, Home Ministry Says

More Central Armed Police Forces’ personnel, including BSF, CRPF and SSB died by suicide than in encounters in the last six years, according to the Union Home Ministry. Nearly 680 personnel died by suicide between 2015 and 2020, more than double of 323 killed in encounters, the home ministry informed the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

The data on deaths in the CAPF encompasses Assam Rifles (AR), Border Security Force (BSF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).

The data analysed by CNN-News18 shows that 236 CRPF men committed suicide, the highest, in the last six years, followed by BSF with 180 suicides. CISF reported 100 suicides. None of the CISF personnel were killed in encounters during the said period. The CISF provides security to strategic establishments, including various government departments, airports, Delhi Metro, ports, monuments and others.

(Force-wise details of deaths of personnel due to suicides and encounters between 2015 and 2020)

Also, none of the ITBP personnel were killed in an encounter, however, 46 personnel committed suicide. The ITBP is the frontier intelligence and security set up along the Indo-Tibetan border. It checks border violations, illegal immigration, trans-border smuggling and crimes.

The suicides reported in CRPF have increased by more than 40% since 2015. The force reported 38 suicides in 2015 that increased to 54 in 2020. The CRPF is responsible for enabling the government to maintain law and order along with internal security effectively and efficiently.

On the other hand, the suicides reported in SSB have jumped by three times –from six in 2015 to 18 in 2020. The SSB is deployed along the border with Nepal and Bhutan.

(Year-wise deaths due to suicides and encounters in CRPF and SSB)

The ministry said domestic problems, illness and financial problems could be contributory factors among others behind the suicides.

Apart from the suicide and encounter, 1,764 personnel died in accidents between 2015 and 2020.

(Force-wise deaths by accidents)

The ministry said improvement in working conditions of CAPFs and AR personnel is a constant endeavour. The AR is a guarding force that functions under the administrative control of the MHA and its operational control rests with the ministry of defence.

“This issue was also reviewed by the government from time to time in consultation with professional agencies. While the Bureau of Police Research and Development conducted a study in 2004 into the factors causing stress, the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad (IIMA) did a similar study in 2012 for BSF and CRPF,” the ministry said.

In total, at least 8,376 deaths have been reported in the six forces since 2015.

(Total deaths reported in each force between 2015 and 2020)

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