CRPF man commits suicide in Srinagar

SRINAGAR : A Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) man committed suicide in Srinagar on Saturday, officials said.

This is the third consecutive suicide of a security force personnel in the last four days. “Captain Prukha Sukhdev of the 79 Battalion committed suicide with his service weapon in the Sonwar area,” a CRPF spokesperson said.

He added that investigations are on regarding the motive behind the suicide.

Two soldiers of the counterinsurgency Rashtriya Rifles shot and killed themselves in Kupwara district on Wednesday and Thursday.

Shankar Singh, 31-year-old, a resident of Rajasthan posted with 18 RR e-coy, shot himself with his service rifle at Warnow area in Kupwara on Thursday.

Birender Sinha of 30 RR shot himself with his service rifle in his camp at Langate in Handwara area of Kupwara district on Wednesday.

According to the official sources, the number of fratricides and suicides among armed forces in Jammu & Kashmir have shown a decline over the years as the level of militant violence has relatively reduced as compared to 1990s and early 2000.

Observers say that declining pattern owes it to various measures including liberal leave policy, roping in of psychologists and Yoga classes.

On the contrary, in its annual report, human rights organisation Jammu Kashmir Coalition of Civil Society said,“The continuous incidents of suicides among ranks of armed forces are an indicator of their poor psychological health, which demands an immediate attention.”