Lok Sabha Question No. 5527 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-04-07
Subject: Suicide by Defence Personnel
Ministry: DEFENCE
Asked by: ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY, RABINDRA KUMAR JENA, SHIVKUMAR CHANABASAPPA UDASI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF DEFENCE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5527

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7 TH  APRIL, 2017

## SUICIDE BY DEFENCE PERSONNEL

5527.  SHRI ADHIR RANJAN CHOWDHURY: SHRI RABINDRA KUMAR JENA: SHRI SHIVKUMAR UDASI:

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

- (a) whether  the Government has studied and reviewed the conditions under which the personnel are compelled to serve in the border areas and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the  reason  behind  the  spate  of  several  jawans  and  even  officers  committing suicide;
- (c) whether  the  Defence  Institute  of  Physiology  and  Allied  Sciences  (DIPAS)  has conducted any in-depth research on these aspects and suggested remedial measures and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has implemented these, particularly in the forward areas and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  compensated  the  family  of  soldiers  who  have committed suicide and if so, the details thereof?

## 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. 5527 FOR ANSWER ON 7.4.2017

(a) to (e): No such study has been conducted by Defence Institute of  Physiology  and  Allied  Sciences.  However,  Defence  Institute  of Psychological Research (DIPR) under DRDO has carried out a number of studies on related subjects, details of which are as under:-

- (i) Suicide and Fratricide in Counter Insurgency areas (December 2006);
- (ii) Impact  analysis  of  the  study  in  counter  insurgency  areas (March 2008);
- (iii)  Suicide and fratricide in peace areas (December 2009);
- (iv)  Impact analysis in counter insurgency and peace areas (October 2010);
- (v) Psychological autopsy of suicide cases (January 2011);
- (vi)  Suicide Risk Assessment Inventory (September 2012); and
- (vii)  Study of factors causing distress among young officers (2015).

Besides,  Armed  Forces  Medical  Research  Committee  has  also conducted  various  studies  regarding  stress  among  Armed  Forces Personnel, which are given below:-

- (i) Presumptive  Life  Stress  in  Soldiers:  A  study  to  scale  the  life events.
- (ii) Ecology of stress among serving soldiers.
- (iii)  Assessment  of  level  of  stress  and  to  work  out  preventive measures against stress among troops in operations scenario.
- (iv)  Changes  in  stress  markers  and  immune  markers  and  their correlation  amongst  troops  in  counter  insurgency  operations scenario.

The  above  studies  have  indicated  that  occupational  factors  like increased workload,  non-grant of timely leave, lack of adequate sleep and  rest,  staying  away  from  home  and  not  being  able  to  attend  to various pressing family issues are some of the factors causing stress which may also lead to cases of suicide or fratricide. The  Government  has  taken  a  number  of  steps  to  reduce  stress amongst  defence  personnel,  which  includes  conduct  of  Yoga  and meditation as part of unit routine, Psychological counselling by psychological  counsellors,  liberalized  leave  policy,  improvement  in living and working conditions through provision of better infrastructure facilities,  improved  accessibility  of  leaders  and  frequent  interaction among  leaders  and  the  led,  provisions  for  sports  and  recreational facilities,  various training on stress management, provision of married accommodation etc. Further, a High Powered Committee viz. Psychological Evaluation  and Remedial  Action  Committee  (PERAC)  is also regularly monitoring various actions in the field of stress management and suicide prevention. The steps taken to reduce stress level amongst troops have had positive impact. As  a  part  of  the  effort  to  install  security  based  infrastructure  to secure borders, Indian  Army  has  constructed  an Anti Infiltration Obstacle System (AIOS) along the Line of Control (LC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu & Kashmir, North of Chenab, under its operational control. Battle Field Surveillances Radars (BFSRs), Long Range Reconnaissance  and  Observation  Systems  (LORROS),  Infra  Red  (IR) Sensors  and  Hand  Held  Thermal  Imagers  (HHTI)  along  with  human intelligence  and  surveillance  have  been  incorporated  on  this  fence  to detect and intercept infiltration by terrorists. AIOS is further strengthened  by  deployment  of  troops  and  construction  of  defence works based on threat perception for an effective multi-tiered counter infiltration  grid.  Review of  the  requirement of  additional infrastructure incorporating a mix of technology and manpower resources has been carried out. The  families  /  next  of  kins  of  the  deceased  soldiers  get  financial assistance  by  way  of  Family  Pension,  Death-cum-Retirement  Gratuity etc as per extant rules. They may also avail the benefits of the various General

Welfare schemes provided through the Directorate Resettlement / Kendriya Sainik Board.

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