NEW DELHI: Following the shocking incident of fratricide by a CRPF jawan in Chhattisgarh that claimed the lives of four of his colleagues, this newspaper accessed records of fratricides and suicides among CRPF personnel and found that the highest number of such incidents have been committed this year compared to previous years.
As far as suicides are concerned, the number by the end of this year may surpass the previous highest total.
A total of 16 deaths in fratricide have been reported from CRPF in the last four years with six jawans dying in five shootouts this year alone.
As of November 8, as many as 48 suicides have been reported in the CRPF.
The number of suicides among CRPF personnel stood at 29 in 2016, according to data from the home ministry, which handles the affairs of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs).
In 2017, 2018 and 2019 and 2020 the number of suicides among the central force was 38, 38, 43 and 60, respectively.
Officials told this newspaper that the CRPF has decided to give a fresh push to informal, open-style discussions called ‘Chaupals’ for jawans.
In an official communication, DG CRPF Kuldiep Singh has asked senior officials to hold four such discussions in a week.
All officials of the rank of IGs have been instructed to ensure that Chaupals are held in an informal setting so that jawans are encouraged to speak up without fear or pressure, said officials in the know.