Lok Sabha Question No. 1551 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-27
Subject: Suicides by Army Personnel
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: DARSHANA VIKRAM JARDOSH, DUSHYANT CHAUTALA

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1551

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  DECEMBER, 2017

## SUICIDES  BY  ARMY  PERSONNEL

## 1551.  SHRIMATI  DARSHANA  VIKRAM  JARDOSH: SHRI  DUSHYANT  CHAUTALA:

Will the Minister of DEFENCE j{kk ea=h be pleased to state:

- (a) whether Government record / data from January 2014 to March 2017 shows that at least  a  defence  personnel  from  the  three  wings  of  the  Armed  Forces  has  committed suicide every three days;
- (b) if so, the name of the armed wing which suffered most in this regard;
- (c) the details of officials / officers of  Armed Forces who committed suicide during their duties during the last three years and the current year, force and year-wise and the reasons therefor;
- (d) the  number  of  officials  /  officers  who  requested  for  early  retirement  during  the above period; and
- (e) the  steps  taken  / being taken  to create healthy  /  appropriate  environment for  the officials / officers of Armed Forces?

## A    N    S    W    E    R

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

(DR. SUBHASH BHAMRE)

र  ा रा य मं ी

(डा. सुभाष भामरे)

(a) to (e): A statement is attached.

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## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1551 FOR ANSWER ON 27.12.2017

(a) to (c): The  details  of  number  of  incidents  of  suicide  in  the  defence forces during last three years and the current year, force-wise & year-wise is as under:

| Year   | Army     | Army     | Navy     | Navy    | Air Force   | Air Force   |
|--------|----------|----------|----------|---------|-------------|-------------|
|        | Officers | JCOs/ORs | Officers | Sailors | Officers    | Airmen      |
| 2014   | 02       | 82       | Nil      | 04      | 02          | 19          |
| 2015   | 01       | 77       | Nil      | 03      | Nil         | 14          |
| 2016   | 04       | 100      | 01       | 05      | 03          | 16          |
| 2017   | 02       | 67       | 01       | 04      | Nil         | 18          |

Some  of  the  reasons  for  committing  suicide  are  family  issues/ domestic  problems,  marital  discord,  perceived  grievances  and  personal issues etc.

- (d) The details of number of officers and Other Ranks who have applied for  premature  retirement  during the  last  three  years  and  the current  year are as under:-
- (e) Various  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Armed  Forces  to  create healthy / appropriate environment for their Officers and Other Ranks. Some of these steps are as under:-
- -Provision of better quality of facilities such as clothing, food, married accommodation, travel facilities, schooling, recreation etc. and periodic welfare meeting.

| Year   | Army     | Army     | Navy     | Navy    | Air Force   | Air Force   |
|--------|----------|----------|----------|---------|-------------|-------------|
|        | Officers | JCOs/ORs | Officers | Sailors | Officers    | Airmen      |
| 2014   | 165      | 12703    | 74       | 32      | 135         | 722         |
| 2015   | 108      | 9296     | 130      | 16      | 67          | 550         |
| 2016   | 291      | 12307    | 142      | 26      | 139         | 649         |
| 2017   | 239*     | 3844**   | 30**     | 15      | 144         | 136         |

## :  3  :

- -Conduct  of yoga and meditation as a tool for stress management.
- -Training & deployment of psychological counsellors.
- -Institutionalization  of  projects  'MILAP'  and  'SAHYOG'  by Army  in  Northern  &  Eastern  Command  to  reduce  stress among troops.
- -A 'Mansik Sahayata Helpline' have been established by Army & Air Force to take professional counselling.
- -Mental  Health  Awareness  is  provided  during  pre-induction training.
- -Formation  of  Military  Psychiatry  Treatment  Centre  at  INHS Asvini and establishment of Mental Health Centres in Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Kochi, Port Blair, Goa and Karwar.

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