A staggering 1,532 suicide cases were recorded among Indian paramilitary forces between 2011 and 2023, with 430 of these occurring within the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from 2014 to 2023. The last five years have seen 46,960 personnel from the six Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) quit their jobs. The CRPF alone reported 430 suicides between 2014 and 2023, highlighting a troubling trend. In 2022, there were 43 suicides among CRPF personnel, and 52 cases were reported last year. The lowest number of cases in the past 11 years was 29 in 2016, while the highest was 57 in 2021.

A report by the Confederation of Ex-Paramilitary Forces Welfare Associations reveals that from 2011 to 2023, 1,532 CAPF personnel committed suicide. Additionally, the number of psychiatric patients in the paramilitary forces rose from 3,584 in 2020 to 4,940 in 2022. Over the past five years, 46,960 personnel from the six CAPFs have resigned. The report stated that 80 percent of suicides occur when personnel return to duty after leave. Contributing personal factors include stress, denial of leave, and prolonged separation from family. So far in 2024, at least 21 Indian troops, paramilitary, and police personnel have committed suicide in various parts of India.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan