Rising Suicides by Jawans

Thursday, September 6, 2012, Chandigarh, India
Alarmed at rising suicides by jawans, Antony to consult Services
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, September 5, 2012
Alarmed at seeing almost 100 Army soldiers commit suicide annually since 2006, Defence Minister AK Antony has asked the three Services to come up with additional suggestions to improve living conditions and methods to curb suicidal tendencies among jawans.
He has asked the Vice-Chief’s of the three services, the Defence Secretary and the head of the Defence Institute of Psychological Research (DIPR) to be present at a brain storming session tomorrow.
Sources said the latest trigger to Antony’s reaction is the August 8 suicide of a jawan of the 16th cavalry regiment. Arun V, who hailed from Thiruvananthapuram, committed suicide with his service weapon. The incident occurred in the Samba sector of Jammu and Kashmir. His angered mates later raised slogans against officers and surrounded their residences in protest. The Army has ordered a Court of Inquiry into the incident. The jawan had been reportedly refused leave to go home.
In 2010, the DIPR was tasked to provide parameters to enable officers to identify and spot the “at risk” soldiers. One of the studies was a psychological autopsy of suicides.
In all, 1,018 soldiers have committed suicide since 2003. This year alone, 62 suicides have been reported in the forces till July 31. The number of suicides over the past few years is: 2003 (96), 2004 (100), 2005 (77), 2006 (129), 2007 (118), 2008 (123), 2008 (96), 2010 (115), 2011 (102).
Antony told Parliament last month “the major causes of suicides were domestic problems, marital discord, stress and financial problems”.
In the past, the government has taken several steps to prevent such incidents. These included counselling, improvement in food and clothing, married accommodation, leave concession, air travel for movement of troops from border areas and establishing a grievance redressing mechanism in states.
Senior officials, however, admit the number of suicides is worrisome, especially when several steps have been initiated over the past few years to improve the quality of life for the troops.
Alarmed at rising suicides by jawans, Antony to consult Services

Army major under UN probe attempts suicide

An Indian Army major, who is under probe by the United Nations mission in Congo on sexual exploitation and abuse charges, allegedly attempted suicide, but is now out of danger.

Major R S Ghumman, who came under the scanner of the UN's Conduct and Discipline Unit (CDU) after he was allegedly found in the company of sex workers in a hotel there on July 6, tried to end his life "over the humiliation" he faced, army sources in the headquarters said in New Delhi on Saturday.

"The officer attempted to commit suicide and it took place about four or five days ago, reportedly over the humiliation he faced due to the probe against him. But we do not have information on the manner in which he made the attempt to end his life," the sources said.

During the course of questioning, Ghumman reportedly asked for a recess and was later found in a critical condition. The sources said they were not aware if he was found in the residential facilities or at the UN Mission's office, where he was being questioned.

Fellow officers and men noticed him and rushed him to a nearby hospital, they said. "He is out of danger now. He is safe and the questioning has re-started," they added. An Indian Army Brigade is in Congo as part of a UN Mission for peacekeeping operations in the civil war-torn nation.

Ghumman, belonging to the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles battalion, was with another officer from the Tunisian Army and the two were noticed getting out of the hotel with local women by an employee of the UN's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS).

After the employee reported the matter to the UN Mission, the investigations against him and the Tunisian officer were started for violating the rules, regulations and code of conduct for troops serving in the UN's Congo mission.

Visiting sex workers while serving under the UN flag is barred under the peace-keeping rules and code of conduct prescribed for the Congo mission. Ghumman is also under investigation for violating the curfew imposed in the North Kivu province and for venturing out of the residential facilities for UN troops at night, both offences under the UN laws for the mission in Congo. The major is on the verge of completing his tenure in Congo and is expected back in India soon. The Indian army too might initiate disciplinary proceedings against him based on the CDU's probe report, if the charges were proved against him.
Army major under UN probe attempts suicide

"Kick the Bottle" sane advise by Pranab Mukherjee

Press Trust of India, Tuesday July 28, 2009, New Delhi
Kick the bottle, was the advice of Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to senior BJP leader Jaswant Singh in the Lok Sabha on Monday, leading to much mirth in the House.

The advice to Singh on the ill-effects of consuming alcohol at his age was given by Mukherjee when he was winding up a discussion on the Finance Bill.

While participating in the discussion, 71-year-old Singh had said in a jocular vein that the increase in exemption limit by Rs 10,000 for Income Tax was so meagre that it was not enough to buy even a bottle of whisky.

"I will advise him (Singh) that at this age it is not wise to have whisky as I have myself given up the habit of smoking pipe," Mukherjee said while replying to the debate over the Finance Bill in the Lok Sabha.
Kick the bottle at this age, Pranab tells Jaswant

Alcohol addiction
The Armed Forces and ESM organisations should fight this malady which afflicts a large percentage of Jawans and ESM whose life is ruined by addiction. Consumption of alcohol has increased manifold as revealed from CSD liquor sale statistics. This social evil needs to be curbed. Sadly the NCC Unit personnel who are looked upon by students for moral standards are more alcohol- dependent than the average military personnel. The NCC units dispense liquor to all in greater percentage than other CSD outfits.

Declining Discipline in Government Organisations

December 13th, 2008 - 7:58 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) An Indian Army colonel was arrested Friday night after a lady officer complained he had misbehaved with her, police said Saturday.”The incident took place Friday night. Colonel Sunder Yadav, 52, was with the lady officer, a captain, who is a doctor at base hospital in Delhi cantonment. The victim told us that when Yadav started to misbehave with her, she somehow managed to get out of the car they were in,” a senior police officer said.

The lady officer then called a police control room van and complained of the harassment. Yadav was arrested for misbehaving with the victim but later released on bail, the police officer added. Yadav is a registrar at Army College of Medical Sciences in Delhi Cantonment.
Indian Army colonel arrested for misbehaviour

Four months ago...
RAW woman official attempts suicide over harassment
NEW DELHI: A woman RAW official tried to commit suicide by consuming poison outside the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday. The incident has brought the country's external intelligence agency under public gaze yet again.

Nisha Bhatia was posted at the training centre of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) in Gurgaon. She had been claiming that she was being sexually harassed by her superiors at RAW.

Bhatia reached the PMO on Tuesday afternoon and demanded to meet an official posted there. However, on being denied entry, she consumed *** poison in front of the office in the high security area. She was immediately rushed to the Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital where the doctors did a stomach wash. Her condition was stated to be out of danger.

Bhatia was in the rank of Director in the RAW and posted in the training division.
The Government has already constituted an inquiry into her complaint of sexual harassment by unnamed superiors in the RAW. A Joint Secretary on deputation to RAW is the main accused.

In 2004, RAW was in the news when Rabinder Singh, a Joint Secretary-level officer in RAW, escaped to the US. Later, several allegations were levelled by a former official Maj Gen (Retd) V K Singh about corruption in the agency.
RAW officer tries to kill herself at PMO.

Comment: The heads of the Government Organisations are solely responsible for discipline. Sexual harassment, corruption and crime involves larger issues and needs to investigated from the top to bottom and not the other way around. Whistle blowers need to be protected.

Alcohol Abuse in the Armed Forces

Stress
Stress, Alcohol and smoking can have adverse and disastrous effects on serving soldiers and Ex Servicemen. The family members are the immediate ones who bear the brunt of those who are stressed and addicted to alcohol and smoking. In the Army even an Army Order was introduced to curb the growing tendency of alcoholism. What happens to alcoholics boarded out of service? The families suffer the most. Many studies have been carried by out under the aegis of DGAFMS. Though statistics showing cases of Alcohol dependence syndrome is encouraging, but what is alarming is the upward growth trend.

Remedial Measures
Alcoholics suffer and hence it is a disease which needs to be treated. The issues are complex and there is no set or proven method of cure. Stress and anxiety are only contributory factors which needs to be addressed. Restrictions alone cannot succeed. Family and Group therapy as advocated by medical advisers can partially help the individuals. The only logical solution lies in Leaders showing the right way by personal example, conduct and motivation for the juniors to emulate.

Consequences
It is easy to conjure up a reason for suicides and fratricides like Frayed Nerves, Stress, low morale, bad service conditions, lack of leave, communication gap and even attribute to unattractive pay! Really the issues are of Leadership. Once you have the right Leader in place all these issues just vanish into thin air.

Welfare
Welfare is the most important aspect which gets neglected. Honour and Prestige of a soldier must be maintained while in service and also when he is out in the civilian world as an Ex Serviceman. The entitlements of a Soldier must be administered to him cent percent. What happens is that standards get diluted down the chain of command. The quality and quantity of his entitlement, be it rations, personnel attire, clothing and so on get awfully reduced, diluted and at times sub- standard. The Regimental Funds which are there for Welfare of Troops hardly finds its way to mitigate a Soldier in distress.

Public Relations Officer
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. Our foundations are strong. Indian Army's biggest enemy-Stress