Source : INDIA TODAY NEWS
The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has set up a 10-member core group of senior officers to work on preventing incidents of “self-harm” among its personnel after the force recorded 59 suicides in 2025, the highest in the last five years. Officials said the group will be headed by the CRPF Director General and will meet once a month for a “detailed” review of such cases.
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The move comes days after the National Human Rights Commission said on August 14 that it had taken suo motu cognisance of reports on the matter and issued a notice to the Union home secretary and the CRPF Director General, seeking a “detailed report” within two weeks.
Official data cited by sources showed that the CRPF, which has about 3.25 lakh personnel, recorded 59 suicides in 2025, up from 46 in 2024, 57 in 2023, 43 in 2022 and 57 in 2021.
Officials said the newly formed group will examine each self-harm case “objectively” and suggest preventive, welfare, administrative and medical steps to help stop such incidents in future.
They said the group will also ensure timely intervention, fix accountability and strengthen preventive measures so that such incidents are not only reduced but completely stopped.
According to sources quoting official data for the 2021-25 period, personnel in the constabulary made up more than 80 per cent of those who ended their lives.
In more than 77 per cent of the cases, or 202 out of 262, the deaths took place while the personnel were on duty, while the rest occurred when they were on leave.
Officials said the group will identify “common trends” and “recurring risk factors” seen in self-harm cases and order the required “institutional interventions”.
Reporting heads and supervisory officers will also present analyses of the incidents under their charge to the group. Officials said self-harm refers to deliberately harming oneself and can lead to fatal or non-fatal injuries, while experts say treatment is available.
A senior commanding officer said issues such as long-term troop deployment, separation from family and work-life balance were among the “root causes” that need to be addressed while seeking solutions to suicides.
CRPF officials have said earlier that the force has started several measures for the physical and mental well-being of its troops and that the process is continuing. They said it has largely been found that the highest number of suicide cases are linked to problems at home, along with the rigours of service and hard duties.
The CRPF is the country’s lead internal security force, and officials said that at any given time about 95–97 per cent of its operational strength is on duty in counter-terror and counter-insurgency operations or in law and order duties.
Against this backdrop, the force has now created a senior-level mechanism for a monthly review of self-harm cases, after its highest annual suicide count in five years and amid scrutiny by the NHRC.
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SOURCE :- TIMES OF INDIA
