Despite Stress Management, Fratricide, Suicide Cases In Indian Army On Rise

[Abu Zarrar]

Nearly 310 Indian soldiers committed suicide since 2014 notwithstanding the welfare measures introduced by the three services to relive the troops of the mental stress, accumulated over the years.

The numbers are the highest in the Army where 104 soldiers committed suicides in 2016, followed by 78 in 2015 and 84 in 2014. The maximum casualty happened among the ordinary soldiers with 282 recorded suicide cases till July 31, the Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre informed the Parliament on Tuesday.

A senior army officer had said in June that the Army was actively considering recruiting civilian staff in peace stations to reform the colonial-era Sahayak system, in the wake of rising cases of jawans coming out openly against it.

Under the system, a soldier is attached to an officer for various work including protecting the officer, maintaining his weapons and helping him carry out his responsibilities.

In the course of his written reply, Bhamre also listed ensuring superior quality of clothing, food, travel facilities, recreation and establishment of grievance redressal mechanism as some other steps for management of stress among soldiers.

 

[SingaporeGuy]

India has to ensure that there is a dedicated medical unit called army counselling unit to counsel the soldiers.

usually its also a psychological care center, where soldiers can go to. usually it starts from a hotline where soldiers can air their grievances and stress.

the commanders on the top has to interview the soldiers regularly to ensure their needs are met.

I trust this will reduce deaths since i presume india is in a state of war