Lok Sabha Question No. 2649 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-08-02
Subject: Suicide by Police Personnel
Ministry: HOME AFFAIRS
Asked by: NALIN KUMAR KATEEL

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS

LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2649

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 nd AUGUST, 2016/SHRAVANA 11, 1938, (SAKA)

SUICIDE BY POLICE PERSONNEL

2649. SHRI NALIN KUMAR KATEEL:

Will the Minister of HOME AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  it  is  a  fact  that  a  large  number  of  police  officers/personnel have reportedly committed suicides;

(b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  along  with  the  total  number  of  such  cases reported  during  each  of  the  last  three  years  and  the  current  year,  rank, gender and State-wise;

(c) whether the Government has conducted any study/investigation to find out the reasons behind such cases;

(d) if so, the details and the outcome thereof; and

(e)  the steps taken by the Government to reduce stress and improve the mental health of police personnel, so as to arrest suicides among them and improve the working condition of police personnel?

ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HOME AFFAIRS (SHRI HANSRAJ GANGARAM AHIR)

(a) & (b): 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects, falling in Entry 1 and  2    of  List  -II  of  the  Seventh  Schedule  of  the  Constitution  of  India. However, as per data maintained by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB),    State/Union  Territory-wise  breakup  of  number  of  suicides  by police  personnel  in  the  calendar  years  2012,  2013 and  2014  is  at

....2/

## L.S.US.Q.NO.2649 FOR 02.08.2016

Annexure-I. So far as the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles (AR) are concerned, details of personnel committed suicide during each of the last three years and the current year are at Annexure-II.

(c)  &  (d):      A  study  was  conducted  in  2004  through  Bureau  of  Police Research & Development (BPR&D) into the factors causing stress to the force  personnel  and  suggest  remedial  measures.  Another  similar  study was got conducted through Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) in 2012 for BSF and CRPF. An enquiry had been  conducted in each case  of  suicide  and  it  was  observed  that  reasons  behind  most  of  the suicide cases are found to be due to personal domestic problems, illness etc.

(e): Since  personnel  matters  of  state  police  are  handled  by  states themselves, the Government of India has no direct role in improving the working conditions and welfare of the state police personnel. However, Union Government has been advising the State Governments for improving  the  working  conditions  of  their  police  personnel  and  to undertake necessary welfare measures. They have also been advised to

## L.S.US.Q.NO.2649 FOR 02.08.2016

put in place an effective mechanism for redressal of personnel grievances and  resolution  of  inter-personal  problems  and  to  conduct  appropriate sensitizing training programmes. Central assistance for better infrastructural  facilities  at  police  stations  and  strengthening  of  State Government training institutions is provided to State Police through the Scheme of Modernization of Police Force. Funds provided for infrastructural development of State Police Force under this scheme also contribute to maintaining morale of the state police personnel. So far as CAPFs including Assam Rifles are concerned, various measures taken by the Government of India to improve the working conditions and welfare of these police personnel are listed at Annexure-III.

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## (ANNEXURE-I TO ANSWER TO LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2649 FOR 02.08.2016 REGARDING 'Suicide by Police Personnel' )

## State/UT  wise  civil  personnel,  armed  police  personnel  and  other  police  personnel  committed  suicides  during 2012,2013 & 2014.

| S.No.   | State/UT          | 2012   | 2013   |   2014 |
|---------|-------------------|--------|--------|--------|
| 1       | Andhra Pradesh    | 10     | 11     |      3 |
| 2       | Arunachal Pradesh | 1      | 0      |      0 |
| 3       | Assam             | 1      | 6      |      2 |
| 4       | Bihar             | 1      | 8      |      1 |
| 5       | Chhattisgarh      | 7      | 4      |     15 |
| 6       | Goa               | 0      | 1      |      1 |
| 7       | Gujarat           | 6      | 8      |      5 |
| 8       | Haryana           | 10     | 8      |      6 |
| 9       | Himachal Pradesh  | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 10      | Jammu & Kashmir   | 2      | 5      |      3 |
| 11      | Jharkhand         | 1      | 7      |      0 |
| 12      | Karnataka         | 17     | 15     |      7 |
| 13      | Kerala            | 8      | 15     |      9 |
| 14      | Madhya Pradesh    | 12     | 8      |     15 |
| 15      | Maharashtra       | 28     | 40     |     36 |
| 16      | Manipur           | 0      | 2      |      5 |
| 17      | Meghalaya         | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 18      | Mizoram           | 2      | 2      |      0 |
| 19      | Nagaland          | 0      | 1      |      0 |
| 20      | Odisha            | 6      | 1      |      4 |
| 21      | Punjab            | 1      | 9      |      4 |
| 22      | Rajasthan         | 4      | 2      |      0 |
| 23      | Sikkim            | 0      | 0      |      1 |
| 24      | Tamil Nadu        | 58     | 31     |     27 |
| 25      | Telangana         |        |        |      3 |
| 26      | Tripura           | 2      | 0      |      0 |
| 27      | Uttar Pradesh     | 9      | 9      |      6 |
| 28      | Uttarakhand       | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 29      | West Bengal       | 10     | 29     |      7 |
|         | TOTAL STATE(S)    | 196    | 222    |    160 |
| 30      | A & N Islands     | 4      | 1      |      1 |
| 31      | Chandigarh        | 3      | 0      |      0 |
| 32      | D&N Haveli        | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 33      | Daman & Diu       | 1      | 0      |      0 |
| 34      | Delhi UT          | 10     | 10     |      4 |
| 35      | Lakshadweep       | 0      | 0      |      0 |
| 36      | Puducherry        | 0      | 2      |      0 |
|         | TOTAL UT(S)       | 18     | 13     |      5 |
| TOTAL   | (ALL INDIA)       | 214    | 235    |    165 |

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PAGE 1 OF 1 OF ANNEXURE-II

(ANNEXURE-II  TO  ANSWER  TO  LOK  SABHA  UNSTARRED  QUESTION  NO.2649  FOR  02.08.2016 REGARDING 'Suicide by Police Personnel' )

Details of personnel of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and Assam Rifles (AR), who committed suicide during each of the last three years and the current year is as under :-

|   Year |   No. of Suicide (As on 20.07.2016) |
|--------|-------------------------------------|
|   2013 |                                 115 |
|   2014 |                                 125 |
|   2015 |                                 109 |
|   2016 |                                  44 |

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## PAGE 1 OF 1 OF ANNEXURE-III

## (ANNEXURE-III  TO  ANSWER  TO  LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.2649  FOR  02.08.2016 REGARDING 'Suicide by Police Personnel' )

## Following actions have been taken by the Government to curb suicides among the CAPF personnel in the country :-

- i) Transparent  policies  pertaining  to  transfer  and  leave  of  CAPFs  and  AR personnel are followed. The hospitalization period due to injuries while on duty is treated as on duty. Choice posting is considered to the extent possible after the personnel served in hard area.
2. ii) Regular  interaction  of  officers  with  troops  to  find  out  and  address  their grievances.
3. iii) Ensuring adequate rest and relief by regulating the duty hours.
4. iv) Improving living conditions for troops, including provision of adequate recreational/ entertainment, sports, communication  facilities etc. Crèche facility is also provided at various establishments (where feasible) toassist  the female employees.
- v) Facility of retention of government accommodation at the place of last posting (for  keeping  the  family)  while  posted  in  NE  State,  J&K  and  LWE  affected areas (except State Capitals).
6. vi) Providing better medical facilities and also organizing talks with specialists to address their personal and psychological concerns and organizing Meditation & Yoga routinely for better stress management.
7. vii) Adequately compensating the troops deployed in difficult areas.
8. viii) Other  welfare  measures  such  as  facility  of  Central  Police  Canteen  (CPC), scholarship for wards etc. are also adopted.  Also air courier service has been provided  to  CAPF  personnel  deployed  in  NE  States  and  J&K  as  a  welfare measure.
9. ix) Designating retired CAPF personnel as ex-CAPF personnel for better identity and community recognition.
- x) Promotions  are  released  regularly  to  eligible  personnel  as  &  when  the vacancies arise. Financial benefits under Modified Assured Career Progression (MACP) are given in case promotions do not take place for want of vacancies at 10, 20 & 30 years of service.

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