THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With five cops committing suicide so far this year, the Police Department has ramped up its anti-stress programme that was started in 2017. The move comes in the wake of rising number of people attached with the force who have been suffering from work-related pressure.Though a two-day event was held last year to prepare master trainers, the follow-up action has been feeble. However, with suicides on the rise — some of those suspected to be stress-related — efforts to spread awareness among police personnel will be enhanced. As a result, the stress management programme will be extended to districts and sub-divisional levels.
The force has been witnessing work-related stress due to the nature of the job, timings and manpower crunch. In 2017, 17 policemen had committed suicide, while 31 took their own lives from 2012 to 2014.
As per a study conducted by researchers G Rajesh, Harish M Tharayil, Meharoof Raj, Mariamma Philip and Ameer Hamza and published in the ‘Open Journal of Psychiatry and Allied Sciences’, operational and organisational stress were significant among police officers in the state.
Organisational stress was experienced at a moderate level by 68 per cent and high level by 14 per cent. Moderate operational stress was noticed in 67 per cent, while high stress was seen in 16.5 per cent. Lower-ranked personnel as well as those belonging to a younger age group (21-35 years) suffered from higher stress. Females were more prone to stress than their male counterparts. Of that, 23 per cent have reported that they were diagnosed with physical health problems, including hypertension, diabetes and renal allergy, the report revealed.
Police sources said stress management programmes have been held in Malappuram district at the sub-division levels and this will be replicated across the state. The help of NGOs will also be taken to accomplish the task.“A cop’s job is complicated and tough. The Kerala Police Academy has got training modules on how to deal with stress. But that’s not enough as officers suffer stress while performing their duties. So, they need to be given on-field counselling,” said a senior police officer.
Meanwhile, another officer - who is of the Inspector rank - said most of his colleagues have to take medicine to relieve stress. “Most of them take it to manage stress. They can’t get sleep without it,” he said.Police Association president T S Baiju said anti-stress clinics can help in fighting the issue. “The workload has got a big role in generating stress. Now, the government is taking in more people, but still the workload is a burden. Organising counselling sessions can be a small help at the moment,” said the officer.
Behera slams media
T’Puram: Under fire over cenior cops’ alleged uncivilised treatment of camp followers and orderlies, DGP Loknath Behera on Thursday assailed the media and said the department has initiated action. A section of the press was running a campaign against cops on the basis of ‘wrong facts’ and this had a dem-oralising effect on them, he said.
Court order on Tuesday
Kochi: The CBI counsel submitted it could not be said the then Rural SP was not aware of the incidents as the cops involved in the crime were part of the RTF formed by him. However, it was for the court to decide whether the CBI should probe the case, the counsel said. The court will pronounce its order on Tuesday.
Probe on to check whether Gavaskar misused vehicle
T’Puram: The Crime Branch team investigating the complaint filed by police driver Abdul Kareem Gavaskar against ADGP Sudesh Kumar’s daughter for alleged assault, has started a probe to find out whether he had misused the police vehicle. The probe was initiated on the basis of a complaint filed by the ADGP last week. The Crime Branch is concurrently probing the complaint registered by the ADGP’s daughter, who had accused the driver of attempting to outrage her modesty. According to sources, Kumar had lodged a complaint against the driver with state police chief Loknath Behera, which was transferred to the Crime Branch. Anti-piracy Cell SP Prashanthan Kani will head the probe team.