Home arrow Archives arrow Defence Notes arrow Defence Notes 2007 arrow Rising Suicides In Army:RESTORE DIGNITY, IMPROVE PAY, Col. (Ret.) P. K. Vasudeva, 30 July 2007
 
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Rising Suicides In Army:RESTORE DIGNITY, IMPROVE PAY, Col. (Ret.) P. K. Vasudeva, 30 July 2007 Print E-mail

There has been a sharp rise in suicides in Indian army in the past five years. The trend in the third largest and one of the best disciplined armies in the world is a cause of grave concern for the defence ministry, political leaders, psychiatrists and socio-economic circles besides the army. Over 100 soldiers took their lives last year alone. This alongwith killings by subordinates and colleagues has brought shame to the army. The reasons need to be investigated and remedial measures taken.

Though the army has not fought a full-blown war in the last three decades, the force is bogged down with fighting domestic insurgencies, guarding restive borders, responding to authorities request to quell civil riots, rescue operations during natural calamities like floods and cyclones, etc which is its  secondary role. 

Any suicide is one too many, but in this case the rate — less than 10 per 100,000 since 2001 — is not substantially different from the average for the general population. The rate for the US Army in 2005 was 13. Indeed, historically modern armies have had to grapple with the problem, with periodic ups and downs in the rates. Meanwhile, a growing trend of fratricidal killings within the Indian Army is of greater and immediate concern. 

Woman officer, Captain Megha Razdan took her life by hanging herself at her home in a cantonment area in Jammu. She left a suicide note. Another woman officer, Lieutenant Sushmita Chakraborty, fatally shot herself at Udhampur, the northern command headquarters, last June 2006. Pankaj Jha, a medium-level officer, shot himself with a service revolver. The list includes others such as Capt Sunit Kohli, Maj Sobha Rani, Lt Sushmita Chatterjee.

The country’s 1.1 million-strong army has recorded an annual average of 100 suicides in recent years, mainly due to the rigours of combating revolts in Kashmir and the remote North East. Dozens of soldiers, including officers, have also been killed by colleagues in quarrels over not being granted leave and other personal issues. The army has lost 72 soldiers to enemy attacks so far this year and another 32 have been killed by their colleagues.

Figures reveal that since 2002, over 450 soldiers have killed themselves, while about 100 died after being shot by their colleagues in the trouble-torn Jammu and Kashmir. StressKashmir and troops regularly kill their comrades in a region where a separatist revolt has claimed over 45,000 lives since 1989. levels are high among soldiers posted in

The Ministry of Defence has given the following figures of suicides: 120 in 2003, 116 in 2004, 119 in 2005 and 132 in 2006. In fact, concerned over the growing numbers, South Block has written to the Army to act more liberally in the grant of leave to its soldiers as a stress relieving measure.

The million-strong force, according to analysts, is under tremendous stress. In fact, the army is losing more soldiers in these incidents than in action against the enemy. Most experts attribute the growing stress to low morale, bad service conditions, lack of adequate home leave, unattractive pay and a communication gap with superiors. In addition family problems could also be a factor.  

To counter suicides, the Indian army is giving its soldiers psychology lessons. About 50 junior officers have now been trained in psychology to help their men battle the stress. In addition, it has introduced yoga to soldiers. Manas K Mandal, head of Defence Institute of Psychological Research, said he had interviewed about 2,000 military personnel and identified nearly 150 reasons for rising stress levels.

According to him soldiers should get counseling, both before they go on leave and on return to help them develop a strong attachment to their units. Other measures could be such as self-help steps to de-stress and encouraging soldiers not to shy away from seeking professional help. Changes would also need to be made in the selection of troops so that “we get the right man for the right job”.

Spokesman Col SK Sakhuja says soldiers kill each other when one of them perceives that they are being harassed by superiors or when they have heated arguments among themselves. “We have strengthened formal and informal interaction between soldiers and officers. Leave policy, especially for soldiers posted in difficult areas, has been liberalised so that a soldier can go home to sort out his domestic problems,” he says. “Also, counselling by officers, psychiatrics and religious teachers is being undertaken.” Delhi-based psychiatrist Achal Bhagat says a combination of stress and high alcohol consumption could lead to frayed nerves.

According to a study conducted by two Indian psychiatrists SK Das and S Chaudhry, the commonest psychotic disorder amongst Indian forces was 38.56 per cent schizophrenia, while alcohol dependence syndrome is 14.17 per cent and neurotic depression 9.8 per cent were among other disorders driving the personnel to suicide and killing their own colleagues.

The main causes of the suicides can also be broadly put across as: First, poor leadership. The armed forces do not need psychologists and psychiatrists to treat the soldiers. What it needs is proper leadership who can motivate their men in thick and thin. This poor leadership is because the intake in the armed forces is the last priority of the youth simply because of poor service conditions and poor promotion avenues. Despite being competent individuals, they get poor pay and allowances even after putting 20 to 30 years of service.

Second, the soldiers’ pay and allowances are less than that of a skilled labourer in the industry. Though the defence forces are responsible for maintaining the national sovereignty and integrity of the country, it is the lowest paid service and in a state of neglect. The soldiers retire at the age of 34 years after serving 17 years in the Army when their real life starts for earning and looking after their parents, family and children. The officers retire at an average age of 52 when they still have domestic responsibilities to shoulder.

Third, there is no coordination between the Ministry of Home Affairs and Ministry of Defence otherwise all the armed forces men and officers could have served unto the age of 58 years through lateral entry. And last, the downward trend in the warrant of precedence has brought down the image of the defence services to the lowest ebb.

It is shocking that the armed forces are remembered only when there is an internal disturbance or external threat to the country. Once tackled, the defence forces are forgotten. Unless the service conditions are improved and the honour and dignity of the armed forces restored, the suicides will continue unabated resulting in poor demoralizing trend in the services. ---INFA

(Copyright, India News and Feature Alliance)

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